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Summary

A military site of Second World War date is visible as a range of earthwork pit and ditched features and partly demolished structures and building platforms on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards, off Rydon Lane.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY SITE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• SLIT TRENCH (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• WEAPONS PIT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/865, RAF/106G/UK/865 RVp3 6232-34 30-SEP-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355699.

A range of earthwork pit and ditched features and partly demolished structures and building platforms are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1987, RAF/CPE/UK/1987 V 5208 12-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359001.

Earthworks and building platforms are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF/540/1579, RAF/540/1579 F22 105-06 01-APR-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354850.

The site has been completely cleared.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A military site of Second World War date is visible as a range of earthwork pit and ditched features and partly demolished structures and building platforms on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards, off Rydon Lane. The site occupies an area of approximately 4.43 hectares of agricultural land to the south of the former dwelling of Southam, on the western side of Rydon Lane. Earthwork features are located along former field boundaries which define the southern and western extents of the site. These include several sections of ziz-zag shaped slit trenches to the south and a linear alignment of elongated earthwork pits of possible weapons pits to the west. Across the remainder of the site are remains of demolished structures and building platforms, as well as dumps of demolition debris. A fence appears to partly divide the site to the west, although it is unclear whether this represents an associated feature or relates to the farm to the immediate north. The nature of the evidence visible on aerial photographs of 1945 suggests the site had been fairly promptly cleared following its dis-use. Partial earthworks and evidence of building platforms of former buildings are visible on aerial photographs of 1947, although the site has been completely cleared by 1955. The nature of the site is largely unclear, although may relate to the United States camp recorded on the opposite side of Rydon Lane. The site of a Anti-Aircraft headquarters (MDV78509) has also been recorded within the vicinity of this site, although it is unclear whether this site represents the same one recorded here as part of this survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV354850	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1955. RAF/540/1579. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/540/1579 F22 105-06 01-APR-1955.
SDV355699	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/865. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/865 RVp3 6232-34 30-SEP-1945. [Mapped feature: #72723 ]
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV359001	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1987. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1987 V 5208 12-APR-1947.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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