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Summary

Site of the Dummy Loader Position for the Second World War Emergency Coastal Battery. A cut down redundant artillery gun was placed in order that the gun crews could practice on its breach-loading mechanism. The position is is visible as a curved platform on aerial photographs between 1948 and 2012.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020411: World War II Emergency Coastal Battery and remains of a Victorian practice battery, at Battery Gardens

Other References/Statuses

• Tide Project: 16/11/2023

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FIRING PLATFORM (World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/AC41, RAF/AC41 20 30-APR-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352349.

No structure is visible in this location.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2488, RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5227-5228 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352767.

A flat platform is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/58/2549, NMR SX9256/26 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0069 27-AUG-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351446.

The structure is visible.

Coleman, R., 1989, The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham (Monograph). SDV362008.

Phil Newman, 2001, Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV362290.

A level concrete platform, arced on its front side, is situated in front of the cookhouse. Here a cut down redundant artillery gun was placed in order that the gun crews could practice on its breach-loading mechanism.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9256_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The structure is visible.

Newman, P. + Salvatore, J., 2003, An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay, 222, Fig 3 (p) (Article in Serial). SDV318361.

A level concrete platform in front of the cookhouse was a 'dummy loader' area. A redundant breech-loading gun was placed here for practising.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

The Dummy Loader Position is visible as a curved platform, circa 3.5 metres in diameter, on aerial photographs between 1948 and 2012. The area to the landward side may also have been surfaced.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Semi circular area.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV318361	Article in Serial: Newman, P. + Salvatore, J.. 2003. An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 61. 222, Fig 3 (p).
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9256_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012.
SDV351446	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/58/2549. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX9256/26 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0069 27-AUG-1958.
SDV352349	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/AC41. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/AC41 20 30-APR-1942.
SDV352767	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2488. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5227-5228 11-MAR-1948.
SDV362008	Monograph: Coleman, R.. 1989. The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham. The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham. Unknown.
SDV362290	Report - Survey: Phil Newman. 2001. Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. Unknown.
SDV365227	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2023. Mastermap 2023. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #141100 Location taken from SDV318361, ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)
• EDV7848 - Archaeological Survey by Phil Newman - May 2001

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