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Summary

Probable walls are visible as a network of structures on aerial photographs in 1959 to the south of Shingle Slack, and a linear shoreline structure to the south-east. The network of walls may have eroded out of the sand in the 1950s, although it is possible that a WWII military building was deliberately built into pre-existing walls. They are interpreted as modern, pre twentieth century structures associated with the lighthouse and stabilisation of the shoreline. They have since been lost to coastal erosion, although fragments may now be present on the foreshore.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and structural remains of World War II military training features for D-Day Landings on Braunton Burrows and nineteenth century reclaimed field system on Braunton Marsh NW of Horsey Island

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43SE/228
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• REVETMENT? (XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• WALL (XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/LA/102, NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5014-5015 17-JAN-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349060.

No walls are visible south of Shingle Slack, although the area is in shadow. The wall along the edge of the shoreline is visible as a structure.

Royal Air Force, 1959, RAF/80/788, NMR RAF/80/788 0036-0037 13-MAR-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349053.

A network of walled structures is visible south of Shingle Slack and along the shoreline.

Nature Conservancy Council, 1989, Braunton Burrows Habitat Map (Cartographic). SDV339613.

The area is named 'Old Walls'.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89115, NMR OS/89115 240-241 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349086.

Coastal erosion has resulted in this area of dunes slipping onto the foreshore. The structures are not visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Possible walls are visible as a network of structures on aerial photographs in 1959 to south of Shingle Slack, and a linear structure of almost 400 metres in length along the line of the shore to the south-east. The shore here is named on a 1989 map as ‘Old Walls’, and the structures may be associated with the groynes, which are of roughly the same elevation and which the longer linear feature adjoins in several places. This would date them as pre-twentieth century, but still probably modern in date. Whilst some of the shoreline structure is visible on earlier aerial photographs taken in the 1940s, the network of walls may have eroded out of the sand in the 1950s. These may have been associated with the lighthouse, possibly a sequence of revetting or stabilisation if not enclosures, and appear to have been the same build and therefore contemporary with the shoreline structure. It is possible that the Second World War military building MDV41709 was deliberately built into pre-existing walls. The structures are not visible on aerial photographs taken in 1989 due to coastal erosion affecting this area, although fragments may now be present on the foreshore.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV339613	Cartographic: Nature Conservancy Council. 1989. Braunton Burrows Habitat Map. Photocopy + Digital.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349053	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1959. RAF/80/788. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/80/788 0036-0037 13-MAR-1959. [Mapped feature: #62190 ]
SDV349060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/LA/102. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/LA/102 5014-5015 17-JAN-1945.
SDV349086	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89115. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/89115 240-241 04-MAY-1989.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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