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Summary

Several probable earthwork banks are visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1950. They resemble a Second World War Heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery battery in layout, although interpretation is tentative. Remains may survive below tree cover.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Tide Project: 30/11/2021

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HEAVY ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY? (World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/AC39, RAF/AC41 32 30-APR-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352346.

No features are visible in this location.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC147, RAF/US/7PH/GP/LOC147 F24 5020-5021 20-JAN-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351618.

No features are clearly visible on this poor quality laser copy. However a possible curvilinear bank is indistinctly visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3208-3209 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

A complex of curvilinear earthwork banks and a possible pit is visible. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2501, RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5203-5204 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351280.

A complex of earthworks is indistinctly visible. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/58/554, RAF/58/554 V 5003-5004 14-AUG-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354447.

A complex of curvilinear earthwork banks and a possible pit is visible. Map object partly based on this source.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9456_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The area is scrubbed up.

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

Several probable earthwork banks are visible on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1950. Five possible curvilinear banks, enclosing roughly circular areas and between 8 and 14 metres in width, are clustered around a possible central mound, and the complex covers up to 100 metres across. In size and layout it broadly resembles a Second World War Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery, although a history of small scale quarrying in this area may have contributed to the earthworks. The earthworks are not clearly visible on earlier aerial photographs, although there is a hint of one curvilinear bank on photographs taken in 1944; the poor quality of the available laser copies could explain why other earthworks are not visible here. The area was obscured by scrub on later available aerial photographs and tree or scrub cover appears to have been dense in 2012, although remains may survive. A nearby possible building platform could have been associated with this complex.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3208-3209 10-DEC-1946.
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 SX9456_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012.
SDV351280	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5203-5204 11-MAR-1948.
SDV351618	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC147. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). RAF/US/7PH/GP/LOC147 F24 5020-5021 20-JAN-1944.
SDV352346	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/AC39. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/AC41 32 30-APR-1942.
SDV354447	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/58/554. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/554 V 5003-5004 14-AUG-1950. [Mapped feature: #64880 Also based on SDV351280., ]

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)

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