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Summary

The site of a probable Second World War barbed wire obstruction is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as a pale curvilinear cropmark enclosing an area to the north of an anti-invasion pillbox at Branscombe Mouth. No evidence of the temporary defences is visible on later aerial photographs available to the survey.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY28NW/66/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV120964.

Aph=raf/106g/uk/1412/3197/(13/04/1946)/smr 45/21.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV120965.

Des=horner, b. /(27/09/1995)/as above.

Horner, B., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1669.

A linear mark is visible on an raf 1946 ap enclosing an area of ground to the rear of pillbox sy28nw/66. The feature runs from the top of the beach-back slope at sy20898817 inland to sy20858817 and then appears to link with the end of the line of concrete posts sy28nw/58, again at the top of the slope, at sy20788814. This feature probably indicates differential vegetation growth beneath former barbed wire entanglements (horner).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 3196-3197 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

A pale D-shaped cropmark is visible.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2736 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Enclosure to rear of pillbox on aerial photograph.
SMR.

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

The site of a probable Second World War barbed wire obstruction is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 at Branscombe Mouth. A pale curvilinear D-shaped cropmark up to 8 metres wide enclosed an area of circa 0.25 hectares to the rear or north of an anti-invasion pillbox on the cliff edge. As described by the above authority the cropmark was probably caused by differential vegetation growth amongst the barbed wire entanglement that ultimately caused the grass to die back in this location. The barbed wire would have been removed by 1945 or earlier, once the threat of invasion had receded. No evidence of the temporary defences is visible on later aerial photographs available to the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV120964	Aerial Photograph:
SDV120965	Migrated Record:
SDV1669	Migrated Record: Horner, B..
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
SDV351568	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003-2004. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. Digital + Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 2736.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 3196-3197 13-APR-1946. [Mapped feature: #95060 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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