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Summary

Early 20th century range structure built of reinforced concrete. Although now known as an observation post, the structure appears to have originally been built as a shelter, one of a series which are thought to have served a dual purpose of observing training proceedings and controlling nearby proceedings. The shelter is flanked by the remains of two target butts or which the eastern is the largest. Both have been extensively damage in the past by shell fire. Scheduled in October 2015.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1425411: Okehampton Artillery Range: Observation Post 16 and flanking target butts

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NW89
• National Monuments Record: SX68NW91
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 966994
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 967045

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUTTS (Constructed, XIX to Late 20th Century - 1801 AD (Between) to 2000 AD (Between))
• OBSERVATION POST (Built, XIX to Early 20th Century - 1900 AD (Between) to 1919 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(10/08/1993) Observation Post 16 is situated in an extensive area of shell craters on the north flank of Okement Hill 300m east of East Okement Head.
The post comprises a cast concrete shelter protected by a large mound of turf and boulders.
The shelter measures 3.2m north to south by 2.0m internally with coursed granite walls and an arched roof a maximum of 1.6m high. The roof was apparently cast in one piece in situ. The front, south, side is protected by a cast concrete blast wall 1.5m high. Entrance is gained to the tunnel-like shelter via a gap between the blast wall and the side of the protective mound. The latter is roughly rectangular and measures 10.8m east to west by 8.2m and stands a maximum of 3.9m high. The sides of the mound are retained by a coursed boulder revetment 2.0m high.
The origin of this feature is uncertain though many of the OPs on Okehampton Range are thought to date from the early 20th century (a). Visibility from this shelter is limited to about 50m and it may have served as a refuge for those servicing the nearby target butts (SX 68 NW 89) rather than as an Observation Post.
(02/09/1993) SX 60888821. An artillery target butt in open moorland on the north eastern flank of Okement Hill 60m north east of Observation Post 16. The remains comprise a disturbed bank 29m long running roughly east to west with a ditch on the south side. Another, lower bank lies a few metres to the south. The main feature has suffered severe damage by shellfire and measures 4.5m wide with a maximum height of 1.5m. Despite the damage traces of sharp steeply sloping sides and a flat top are discernible. The ditch immediately to the south measures on average 4.0m wide and 1.0m deep. Several deliberate kinks are visible along the course of the ditch; they possibly mark detours around buried boulders but are more likely to have a specific function which is now not evident on the ground. The southernmost bank, 17m long and approximately 4.0m wide and 1.0m high, has suffered greater damage, its original form is not discernible.
Observation Post 16 lies nearby and may have been used to service these targets. Both monuments lie in an area littered with shell craters some of which appear relatively recent in origin.

Francis, P., 2002, Okehampton Artillery Range, 13, plate 35 (Report - Survey). SDV359222.

Observation Post 16. Close to Okement Head. Unique design; to the west is 'O' datum and to the north is 'L' datum. Consists of a tunnel-like natural stone structure covered in earth and grass with granite block retaining walls. Front elevation has a half-height concrete blast wall with an entrance gap separating it from the main structure. From the structure, a railway descended towards East Okement Farm. SX60820 88196

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey, M. Fletcher (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(07/04/2004) This target butt which was extensively damaged in the past by shell fire is as described and is under no threat.
This shelter (observation post) is as described. There is some erosion damage to the top of the protective earthen mound.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Remains of the observation post and target butts visible on the aerial photography.

Historic England, 2015, Case Name: Okehampton Artillery Range: Observation Post 7, and Observation Post 16 and flanking target butts (Schedule Document). SDV359236.

Assessment case for scheduling.

English Heritage, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV357602.

PRINCIPAL FEATURES: Observation Post 16, a stone- and earth- covered concrete splinter-proof shelter, also known as a bunkhouse, and flanking artillery target butts, are situated in an extensive area of shell craters, 737m north east of the summit of Okement Hill.
The shelter, centred on SX6082088190, comprises a cast-concrete shelter protected by a large mound of turf and boulders. It measures 3.2m north to south by 2.0m internally with coursed granite walls and an arched roof. The roof was apparently cast in situ. The front (south) side is protected by a cast-concrete blast wall 1.5m high with a handrail on top that would have been used to feed a system of cable pulley that the movement of targets positioned within the flanking trenches. A gap between the blast wall and the side of the protective mound provides access to the shelter. The mound is roughly rectangular and measures circa 11m by 8m and stands to a maximum of 3.9m high. The sides are retained by a coursed boulder revetment 2.0m high. There is some erosion damage to the top of the protective earthen mound. The shelter is flanked by the remains of two target butts. The east target butt is the largest and comprises a disturbed bank 29m long running roughly east to west with a ditch on the south side. Another, lower, bank lies a few metres to the south. The main feature measures 4.5m wide with a maximum height of 1.5m. Despite the damage traces of sharp steeply sloping sides and a flat top are discernible. The ditch immediately to the south measures on average 4.0m wide and 1.0m deep. Several deliberate kinks are visible along the course of the ditch, although their specific function is no longer evident on the ground. The southernmost bank, 17m long and approximately 4m wide and 1m high, has suffered greater damage. The trench to the west of the shelter is a smaller, single trench, measuring circa 15m long that appears to be of a similar construction to the other target butt. Both target butts have been extensively damaged in the past by shell fire.
EXTENT OF SCHEDULING: the scheduled monument is split into three separate areas of protection, the shelter centred on SX6082088192 and two target trenches on either side centred on SX6077688165 and SX6086288213. A buffer of 2m is included around the scheduled areas for their support and preservation.
EXCLUSION: a cable tapping-in point within the interior of the mound is excluded from the scheduling, although the wall and floor structure beneath it is included.

English Heritage, 2015, Okehampton Artillery Range: Observation Post 7, and Observation Post 16
and flanking target butts (Correspondence). SDV358974.

English Heritage is undertaking a project to consider the military buildings on Okehampton Training Camp for addition to the National Heritage List for England. Research carried out in 2002 identified a number of remains associated with the military activity on the Range. Following an inspection of these remains in June 2014, seven sites have been carried forward as part of the project including Observation Post 16 and associated artillery target butts.
Observation Post 16 is an early-C20 range structure. Although now known as an observation post, a survey of the range from 1919 depicts it in this location, as one of a series of splinter-proof shelters that are likely to have served a dual purpose of observing training proceedings and also controlling nearby targets. The shelter faces south, away from the main part of the range and it is likely it was positioned on this elevated position to act as a refuge for those servicing the two target butts on either side of the shelter.
PRINCIPAL FEATURES: Observation Post 16 and flanking artillery target butts are situated in an extensive area of shell craters, 737m north east of the summit of Okement Hill. The shelter, centred on SX6082088190, comprises a cast-concrete shelter protected by a large mound of turf and boulders. It measures 3.2m north to south by 2.0m internally with coursed granite walls and an arched roof. The roof was apparently cast in in-situ. The front (south) side is protected by a cast concrete blast wall 1.5m high with a handrail on top that would have also acted as a way of controlling the movement of nearby targets. A gap between the blast wall and the side of the protective mound provides access to the shelter. The mound is roughly rectangular and measures circa 11m by 8m and stands a maximum of 3.9m high. The sides are retained by a coursed boulder revetment 2.0m high. There is some erosion
damage to the top of the protective earthen mound. The shelter is flanked by the remains of two target butts. The east target butt is the largest and comprises a disturbed bank 29m long running roughly east to west with a ditch on the south side. Another, lower, bank lies a few metres to the south. The main feature measures 4.5m wide with a maximum height of 1.5m. Despite the damage traces of sharp steeply sloping sides and a flat top are discernible. The ditch immediately to the south measures on average 4.0m wide and 1.0m deep. Several deliberate kinks are visible along the course of the ditch,
although their specific function is no longer evident on the ground. The southernmost bank, 17m long and approximately 4 m wide and 1m high, has suffered greater damage. The trench to the west of the shelter is a smaller, single trench, measuring circa 15m long that appears to be of a similar construction to the other target butt. Both target butts have been extensively damage in the past by shell fire.
See report for further details.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

'Observation Post' shown on modern mapping as a small rectangular building.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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