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Summary

One of several Second World War observation posts within the Brixham Emergency Coastal Battery is visible as a rectangular structure on aerial photographs between 1948 and 2012. It is a small structure built of concrete, with a concreted sandbag lobby and a concrete slab roof.

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

• BATTERY OBSERVATION POST (Built, 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 roughly rectangular structure is visible.

Fiorato, V.J., 1999, Observation Post, Battery Grounds, Brixham, Slides (Worksheet). SDV362257.

The site was cleared of vegetation by the Brixham Battery Heritage Group in 1999 to reveal features such as camouflage net fixers on the roof.

Phil Newman, 2001, Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, 1, plan (Report - Survey). SDV362290.

This small observation post lies to the south-east of the main operations building at Battery Gardens, close to the edge of a large quarry. It is a fairly simple structure made of concrete and concrete sand bags. The door is to the north-west and the viewing window in the north-east elevation overlooking the harbour. It is a rectangular space with a solid concrete floor. There is a flat concrete roof (nb part of this description may be from SDV362257).
The site was cleared of vegetation by the Brixham Battery Heritage Group in 1999 to reveal features such as camouflage net fixers on the roof.

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, but glimpses of a structure are visible through the vegetation.

Newman, P. + Salvatore, J., 2003, An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay, 223, Fig. 3, Pl. 4 (Article in Serial). SDV318361.

Small observation post built against the slope, near the top of the hill at the eastern end of the site. It is built of concrete with a concreted sandbag lobby and a concrete slab roof. It is not clear what purpose the building served as it was probably too small to house range-finding equipment and to have served as a back-up to the main post.

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

One of several Second World War observation posts at Brixham Emergency Coastal Battery is visible as a roughly rectangular structure, circa 2 by 3.5 metres in plan, on aerial photographs taken between 1948 and 2012.

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

Small building depicted.

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. 223, Fig. 3, Pl. 4.
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.
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.
SDV362257	Worksheet: Fiorato, V.J.. 1999. Observation Post, Battery Grounds, Brixham. Torbay Sites and Monuments Form. Worksheet + slides. Slides.
SDV362290	Report - Survey: Phil Newman. 2001. Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. Unknown. 1, plan.
SDV365227	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2023. Mastermap 2023. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #141652 ]

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

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