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Summary

Second World War earthworks and structures are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 and 1959 at Snapes Head.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX73NW/146

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FUEL STORE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/FNO/29, RAF/NO/29 RV 6051 30-JUN-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351059.

The earthworks and structures are not visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 61/88 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RS 4015-16 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

The structures and earthworks are visible.

Harold Wingham Collection, 1959, HAW Film 9392, SX7438/4 HAW 9392/33 21-JUL-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351251.

The earthworks remain visible.

National Monument Record, 1979, NMR Film 1457, NMR 1457/252 01-MAR-1979 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351252.

The site is largely overgrown and no features are visible.

Thackray, C., 1990, Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon (Report - Survey). SDV345519.

Horner, W., 1996, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV335945.

Concentric terraced earthworks recorded on Royal Air Force 1946 aerail photograph on the tip of Snapes Point, formerly Ilberstow Point. Outer terrace c40meters wide with smaller circular mound in centre. Not recorded on early Ordnance Survey maps from 1880.

Horner, W., 2001, Snapes Point (Site Visit). SDV336279.

Site visit by Gatehouse, Simpson & Horner. According to local sources this is the site of a World War II fuel depot. The remains of wartime structures are visible beneath dense undergrowth. The main feature is a now empty circular fuel tank revetment. This has an inner lining of dry course stone with evidence of brick revetting on part of the interior and an earth banked exterior. Brick ancillary buildings lie around the tank site, including a pump/valve house with piping. There are brick pipe culverts leading to the shore, through a former perimeter fence, of which 2 concrete gateposts and a fencepost are visible. In the rocks of the foreshore there are at least 2 iron mooring rings. The site is accessed by a metalled track (see PRN 64624) and there is a brick platform, possibly for a former guard or admin hut or other building on its south side. The site may have been for fuelling US amphibious assault vessels in the harbour, or for supplying land vehicles massing for the Normandy landings.

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

Second World War earthworks and structures are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards at Snapes Head. The earthworks are accessed via a lane which follows along the edge of Snapes Head and are first visible on aerial photographs of 1946. They comprise two earthwork bank segments which measure between 2.5m to 3m in width and form a possible circular ring approximately 30m in diameter. A sub-circular structure of a possible fuel tank is visible within the earthwork bank and measures approximately 17m long by 15m wide. A possible rectangular structure is also located at the end of the trackway to the south of the outer bank. The earthworks remain visible on aerial photographs of 1959 although no associated structures are visible, and the site is largely overgrown by 1979.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV140289	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. CPE/UK 1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 61/88.
SDV335945	Personal Comment: Horner, W.. 1996.
SDV336279	Site Visit: Horner, W.. 2001. Snapes Point. Not applicable. Not Applicable.
SDV345519	Report - Survey: Thackray, C.. 1990. Archaeological Survey of the Salcombe Estuary: West (Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point) Devon. National Trust Archaeological Survey Report. A4 Comb Bound + Digital.
SDV351059	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/FNO/29. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/NO/29 RV 6051 30-JUN-1942.
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 RS 4015-16 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #95539 ]
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
SDV351251	Aerial Photograph: Harold Wingham Collection. 1959. HAW Film 9392. Harold Wingham Collection. Photograph (Paper). SX7438/4 HAW 9392/33 21-JUL-1959.
SDV351252	Aerial Photograph: National Monument Record. 1979. NMR Film 1457. National Monument Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR 1457/252 01-MAR-1979.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3869 - Unnamed Event
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)
• EDV4935 - Archaeological Survey from Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and Snapes Point
• EDV6587 - Archaeological Assessment of Land between Bolt Heat and Bolt Tail

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