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Summary

A flat-roofed structure, visible on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s, in a cutting into the southern rampart of Brownhill Battery was extant in the early 1990s, and interpreted as a First or Second World War military structure, possibly an observation post. It is obscured by vegetation cover on recent aerial imagery.

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/43/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• OBSERVATION POST? (World War I to World War II - 1914 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV159930.

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 3137-3138 28-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351151.

A flat-roofed rectangular structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF/540/1625, RAF/540/1625 F21 0024-0025 24-MAY-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351141.

A flat-roofed rectangular structure is visible.

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

Vis=-/3/1992 (pye) small concrete building. Possibly a wwi or wwii observation post. This is located at the corner of the rampart with good viewpoints both to the north-east, east and south. It is rectangular in shape, constructed of concrete breeze-blocks. It looks out due east. Later this side has been filled in with later breeze-blocks and a doorway inserted at its northern end. There is a window looking out towards the south. At the base of the western wall there are two square opening which have since been blocked. The function of these openings is not clear. The whole building is roofless.(plymouth fortress survey).

Google, 2019, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 22-JUN-2018 ACCESSED 23-AUG-2019 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363088.

The area is vegetation covered.

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.

A flat-roofed structure, approximately 3.5 by 4 metres in plan, is visible on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s, in a cutting into the southern rampart of Brownhill Battery. It was visited in the early 1990s when it was found to be extant, and interpreted as a First or Second World War military structure, possibly an observation post. It is obscured by vegetation cover on recent aerial imagery.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

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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