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Summary

Two rectilinear structures, visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards, correlate with the location of a structure marked as a possible position finding cell and searchlight directing post on plans of the area in c.1900 and the Second World War. They are probably the same structures visited during fieldwork and described as in generally good condition in 1992.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002585: Staddon Heights Defences including Fort Staddon Fort, Brownhill Battery, Watch House Battery, Staddon Heights Battery, Staddon Battery and associated features and structures

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX45SE/19/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (XIX to Edwardian - 1860 AD to 1906 AD (Between))
• POSITION FINDING STATION (XIX to Edwardian - 1860 AD to 1906 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV162031.

Des=plymouth fortress survey/pye, a.(1992)/copy and plan in smr.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2105, RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3138-3139 28-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351151.

Two flat roofed structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF 58/2546, RAF/58/2546/PSFO-P1-0376 26-AUG-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351257.

Two flat roofed structures are visible, one with a horizontal opening on its seaward side.

PLYMOUTH FORTRESS SURVEY, 1992, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV27236.

Vis=27/2/1992, 11/3/1992 (pye and woodward) military buildings sw of watchhouse battery. Includes the 1860s musketry gallery built to defend the dry ditch down towards bovisand, the tunnel leading to it from the west, a position/cell probably dating to c 1894 and also a night searchlight directing post dating probably c1906. Musketry gallery complete with a brick vaulted roof, stepped interior and 11 loop-holes within its southern wall. Access from the west via a tunnel. A later entrance has been cut through into a dry ditch to provide access to the position finder cells on the south side of the ditch.(sx45se/19/3) pf cell similar character to the staddon heights examples except that the roof is flat; built of shuttered rubble concrete; access from the rear with a wide window in the seaward facing wall which extends around the sides also. Suggested role for this is a control post for anti-submarine mines or possibly as an observation post for the boom across to the breakwater (f. W. Woodward). Alternatively it may have been used to direct the guns at fort bovisand or breakwater fort or frobisher battery together with the cells to the south-east. The searchlight directing post contains two rooms, both of which have large seaward facing windows and are entered from the rear where there is a cupboard which was used as an ammunition store or fusebox. Derelict. Condition good, except for pf cell which has collapsing roof. There is a possible foxhole in front of this group.(plymouth fortress survey).

Pye, A. + Woodward, F., 1996, The Historic Defences of Plymouth, Fig.109; Fig.110 (Monograph). SDV167752.

A rectangular structure south-west of Watch House Battery is depicted and marked as a possible position finding cell and searchlight directing post.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX4850 15-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Two flat roofed structures are visible.

Historic England, 2014, NMR 29059, NMR 29059/31 13-JUN-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363262.

The roof appears to be sunken and bowed.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Two rectilinear structures, within a small fenced enclosure, are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards. They correlate with the location of a structure marked as a possible position finding cell and searchlight directing post in Pye and Woodward (1996). The larger structure, 6.5 x 3.5 metres in plan, appears to also be depicted on a map of 1896. The smaller has a horizontal opening on its seaward side and may be early 20th century in date. They are probably the same structures visited during fieldwork and described as in generally good condition in 1992, although the roof appears to have been sunken and bowed on aerial photographs taken in 2014.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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