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Summary

A complex of structures is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1945, and includes five rectangular water-filled tanks, two long narrow buildings and three other buildings. The site is interpreted as part of the military maintenance site used for repair of landing craft in the Second World War preparations for Operation Overlord. All of the buildings and all but one of the tanks have been removed in several episodes between approximately 1960 and 2010. The surviving tank is sunken and appears to be intact, but its condition is unknown. A separate site to the south-east may be associated with this complex.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43SE/249

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY DEPOT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SHIP REPAIR WORKS (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24.

Instow camp. Mod atturm. Vis=20/1/1994 (dick) cursory site inspection suggests that the e range of buildings shown on 1946 raf ap's + 1971 os 6" map is no longer extant (dick). Vis=not shown on 1903 revision of 1885 os 6" map (os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70565.

Des=dick, a. M.(dcc)/(20/1/1994)/as above.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV70566.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1420/3237/(15/4/1946)/dcc 7/120.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70567.

Des=os 6" (1903) 12se.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/891, NMR RAF/106G/891 4097 08-OCT-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349055.

Several buildings, ditches and pits are visible as structures and earthworks. Other possible structures are visible in a separate enclosed area to the south-east. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1420, NMR RAF/106G/91420 3236-3237 15-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349553.

The

Royal Air Force, 1960, RAF/543/1017, NMR RAF/543/1017 PSFO-0089 SS4731/1 10-AUG-1960 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349659.

New buildings are under construction, replacing the buildings on the west of the site, but the structures and tanks are still visible on the east of the site. No ditches and pits are visible to the north-west of the complex. Map object partly based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 1992, OS/92242, NMR OS/922243 040-041 07-JUL-1992 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349087.

The buildings on the east of the site are no longer extant, but three rectangular tanks are still visible as structures.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Three rectangular tanks are visible, one of them sunken.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4731 08-APR-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349899.

Only one rectangular tank is visible as a structure. Map object partly based on this source.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A complex of structures is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1945, and includes two empty 2.5 metre square tanks and three water-filled rectangular tanks, one of which measuring 21 metres by 5 metres is ramped and sunken and the others are circa 7 by 10 metres and sit on the ground surface. Two of the buildings are over 80 metres long and 10 metres wide; these may be open fronted, possibly serving as vehicle sheds. Three other rectangular buildings are visible, between 6 and 14 metres in width and 10 and 40 metres in length. All of the structures are linked by a branched trackway. Two circular pits to the north-west are visible as earthworks, but their function is not known. The tanks suggest that this could be part of the military maintenance site used for repair of landing craft in the Second World War preparations for Operation Overlord. All of the buildings and all but one of the tanks have been removed, those on the west by 1960 when new buildings were constructed, while some tanks on the eastern side survived until 2006-2007 but have been removed before 2010. There are reports that a boiler house was demolished in 1994, whilst the surviving sunken tank appears to be intact, but its condition is unknown. A separate site across the road to the south-east appears to comprise several structures within a banked enclosure in 1945. They are indistinct and while it is possible that they were military buildings, it is also feasible that they were hayricks. The area was clear in aerial photographs taken in 1946, indicating deliberate removal of the structures.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV24	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. OSA. Card Index.
SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349055	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/891. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/891 4097 08-OCT-1945.
SDV349087	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1992. OS/92242. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/922243 040-041 07-JUL-1992.
SDV349553	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1420. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/91420 3236-3237 15-APR-1946.
SDV349659	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1960. RAF/543/1017. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/543/1017 PSFO-0089 SS4731/1 10-AUG-1960.
SDV349899	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4731 08-APR-2010.
SDV70565	Migrated Record:
SDV70566	Aerial Photograph:
SDV70567	Migrated Record:

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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