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Summary

A small structure probably of Second World War date was visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s on the south-facing spur of Beacon Hill, Upottery parish. The structure is likely to have been associated with the wartime airfield at Smeathorpe.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Second World War Military structure on Beacon Hill, Upottery parish

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST10NE/146
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (World War II to XX - 1939 AD to 1948 AD (Between))

Full description

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV135463.

Square (?) concreted compound with small building at centre visible on 1947 raf ap. Probably associated with upottery airfield (aph).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV135464.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974/3303/ (11/04/1947).

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3303-3304 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A small, possibly square structure was visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2491, RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3192-3193 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359578.

A small, possibly square structure was visible.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A small structure probably of Second World War date was visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and 1948 on the south-facing spur of Beacon Hill, Upottery parish.
The structure was possibly square in shape, although due to the scale of the images it is difficult to be certain, and measured less than 4 metres to a side. It was located within small compound or fenced area circa 16 metres square. The structure and compound has since been removed but a faint cropmark is visible in this general location on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2014 that might indicate the survival of sub-surface remains.
The function of the structure is unclear from the aerial photographs alone but it is likely to be associated with the wartime airfield at Smeathorpe (RAF Upottery) roughly 400m to the north-west, possibly as a signal on the approach to the north-west to south-east orientated runway.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV135463	Migrated Record: APH.
SDV135464	Aerial Photograph:
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3303-3304 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #94515 ]
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359578	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2491. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2491 RP 3192-3193 11-MAR-1948.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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