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Summary

Seaton Holiday Village was requisitioned for use an an internment camp for German nationals in 1939. It reverted to a holiday camp at the end of the war.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SE/245
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• INTERNMENT CAMP (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1930 - 1939, Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV336668.

The holiday camp is depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 4301-4302 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The buildings and structures of the camp are visible.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 32 (Monograph). SDV165766.

Pre-war Pontins Holiday Camp was converted for use as an internment camp for German nationals in October 1939.

Bourn, R., 2000, Land off Harbour Road, Seaton: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, 13 (Report - Assessment). SDV120104.

Prior to World War II Lyme Bay Holiday Village was a Butlins Holiday resort. In 1939 it was requisitioned as an internment camp for German nationals. It reverted to being a holiday camp at the end of the war.

Clarke, C., 2011, Land Adjacent to Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon. An Archaeological and Geoarchaeological Investigation Report, 5 (Report - Evaluation). SDV348253.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

The holiday camp as depicted on 1930s mapping is very similar in plan to the visible layout on aerial photographs taken in 1946. However some additional elements are noted that could have been added to facilitate its use as an internment camp in the Second World War. This includes a rectangular building in the centre of the complex (MDV105871), several rectangular buildings to the south (MDV105890) and two rectangular sunken structures, one either side of the accommodation, which could have been associated with water or waste management (MDV105887). None of these additional structures appear to survive beyond 1963.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV120104	Report - Assessment: Bourn, R.. 2000. Land off Harbour Road, Seaton: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment. CgMs Consulting Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. 13.
SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 32.
SDV336668	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1930 - 1939. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV348253	Report - Evaluation: Clarke, C.. 2011. Land Adjacent to Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon. An Archaeological and Geoarchaeological Investigation Report. AOC Archaeology Group Report. 30841. A4 stapled + Digital. 5.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 4301-4302 13-APR-1946.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5639 - Archaeological Investigation on Land Adjacent to Harbour Road, Seaton
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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