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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 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/43/2

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). SDV159867.

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). Observation post. Possibly wwi or wwii. This is almost exactly of the same construction and plan as sx45se/43/07. It is placed within a terrace cut into the top of the rampart at the south-western corner. It is rectangular and constructed of concrete breeze-blocks. There is one opening through the base of the western wall, a window through the south wall and an open east-facing wall; the top is roofless. Its view eastwards is largely obscured by the rampart into which it is terraced. Therefore the view which would have been important is presumably the one southwards through the window in the south wall.(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 very similar to the nearby structure MDV48744 which was interpreted as a possible First or Second World War 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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