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Summary

Barbed-wire entanglements of Second World War date are visible as structures on oblique aerial photographs of 1941, at Beach Gardens, Exmouth.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/1416/S403H55, NMR SY 0080/1 MSO 31241/PO-053 14-AUG-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352644.

The barbed-wire entanglements are visible as structures.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3090 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The barbed-wire entanglements have been completely removed.

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

Barbed-wire entanglements of Second World War date are visible as structures on oblique aerial photographs of 1941, at Beach Gardens, Exmouth. Two sets of entanglements are visible along the sea wall. The northwestern of the two was faintly visible as two curving structures which possibly form a complete semi-circle encasing the Imperial Steps, adjacent to the Jubilee Clock. This structure measures approximately 33m across, although could not be accurately rectified owing to the poor resolution of the 1941 oblique aerial photographs. The second entanglement is located approximately 37m to the southeast and is more substantial in nature, measuring approximately 134m in length. It is more linear in form, is northwest to southeast aligned and flares inwards at either end towards the sea wall. The barbed-wire entanglements were part of a number of anti-invasion obstacles which were put into place along the shoreline of Exmouth during the early stages of the war. The entanglements may have enclosed possible stronghold positions, such as gun emplacements, although possibly owing to the poor resolution of the 1941 oblique aerial photographs, no such features were visible. The barbed-wire entanglements have been completely removed on aerial photographs of 1946, although were likely removed much earlier when the threat of invasion had passed.

Sources / Further Reading

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
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3090 13-APR-1946.
SDV352644	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/1416/S403H55. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SY 0080/1 MSO 31241/PO-053 14-AUG-1941. [Mapped feature: #65264 ]

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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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