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Summary

One of the Light Anti Aircraft Second World War gun emplacements at Brixham Emergency Coastal Battery is visible as a roughly semi-circular structure on aerial photographs taken in 1948. The area was obscured by scrub and tree growth in 2012. It comprises a a horseshoe-shaped wall of concrete sandbags, 1.4m high on a concrete base with a concrete revetment to the rear. In the centre is a plinth for fixing the gun.

Location

Protected Status

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

• ANTI AIRCRAFT GUN POST (World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

The site of the 37mm pom-pom survives close to the quarry face. A low grassy mound contains a D-shaped enclosure; it is constructed of a 1.4m high wall of cement-filled sandbags built onto the concrete base of the gun platform which retains the bolts for fixing the gun. There is a secondary 'mound' of a protective outer ditch and bank protecting the gun to the east. There are two brick boxes against the flat side of the D [compiled from several sources listed below].

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 roughly semi-circular structure 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 obscured by scrub.

Coleman, R., 1999, 37mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Position, Battery Gardens, Brixham (Plan - measured). SDV362293.

Fiorato, V.J., 1999, AA Gun Emplacement in Battery Gardens, Slides (Worksheet). SDV362253.

Slides show the emplacement before and after clearance.

Phil Newman, 2001, Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, 9 (Report - Survey). SDV362290.

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

The area is obscured by scrub.

Newman, P. + Salvatore, J., 2003, An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay, 220-221, Fig. 3, Pl. 3 (Article in Serial). SDV318361.

A 37mm light anti-aircraft position comprising a horseshoe-shaped wall of concrete sandbags, 1.4m high on a concrete base with a concrete revetment to the rear. A plinth survives in the centre for fixing a gun. Two small brick chambers to the rear with sealed concrete tops were probably ammunition stores. The low angle of elevation of the gun meant it could also have been used to fire on sea-borne vessels.

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

One of the Light Anti Aircraft gun emplacements for the Second World War Emergency Coastal Battery is visible as a roughly semi-circular platform, circa 5 metres in diameter, on aerial photographs taken in 1948. It is not visible on later available aerial photographs, but remains have presumably been obscured by scrub.

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

Semi circular feature shown.

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. 220-221, Fig. 3, Pl. 3.
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.
SDV361984	SMR record: Torbay HER record.
SDV362253	Worksheet: Fiorato, V.J.. 1999. AA Gun Emplacement in Battery Gardens. Worksheet + slides. Slides.
SDV362290	Report - Survey: Phil Newman. 2001. Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. Unknown. 9.
SDV362293	Plan - measured: Coleman, R.. 1999. 37mm Anti-Aircraft Gun Position, Battery Gardens, Brixham. Plan.
SDV365227	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2023. Mastermap 2023. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #141653 ]

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)
• EDV7779 - World War II sites in Torbay
• EDV7848 - Archaeological Survey by Phil Newman - May 2001
• EDV7849 - Drawn Survey by R. Coleman: Dec 1999 - March 2000

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