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Summary

A Second World War bombing decoy for Laira marshalling yard is visible is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s as earthwork mounds, platforms and enclosures on the north-facing slopes south of Boringdon Park Wood.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1413183
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NW/243

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOMBING DECOY (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

CRF, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177476.

Cropmark reported in area, SX55NW/89 (CRF).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177477.

Crawshaw, A. /WWII Decoy sites/(Nov 1996)/MS + plans/in SMR.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177478.

Crawshaw, A. /WWII Decoy sites/(1996)/disk in SMR.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177479.

Dobinson, C. S.(CBA)/20th Century Fortifications in England/III(1996)116,119/Bombing decoys/in SMR.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV177480.

RAF/CPE/UK/1890/1124/(10/12/1946)/SMR 52/70.

RAF, 1940's, Borindon Site "PL3(D)" (Cartographic). SDV324241.

Tracing from 6" Ordnance Survey sheet CXVIII SW. Shows location of Leaky Lighting, Street Lighting and Dull Basic Fire decoys. Other details: APM 199 733.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 1124 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Only shelter area recorded on RAF 1946 AP (APH). Other details: 52/70.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RS 4206 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Earthwork mounds, platforms and enclosures are visible.

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1968, MAL/68004, MAL/68004 109-110 01-FEB-1968 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352105.

Earthwork mounds and enclosures are visible.

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Bombing decoys of WWII (Report - non-specific). SDV324125.

Earliest reference 1/8/1941, latest 12/3/1942 (Dobinson).

Crawshaw, A., 1996, WWII Bombing decoys (Un-published). SDV145387.

Bombing decoy for Laira marshalling yard. Sited just to SE of Boringdon Park Wood. Site PL3(d). Operated leaky lighting, street lighting and dull basic fire. Shelter in field corner to SW (see subsheet). QL, QF decoy - decoy fires for night use and light displays for night use. Operational 12/3/1942 (Crawshaw).

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5358 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

An earthwork enclosure is identifiable.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

The remains of a Second World War bombing decoy are visible is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s on the north-facing slopes south of Boringdon Park Wood.
The visible remains consist earthwork mounds, platforms and enclosures.
Three earthwork bank defined rectilinear enclosures have been identified across the slopes, centred at circa SX53335810, SX53135819 and SX53125824, ranging from 16m by 5m to 25 by 16m in size.
Two rectilinear platforms circa 12m wide and up to 40m long are visible near the top of the slope alongside the field boundary, at circa SX53315808.
Also adjacent to the field boundary, two large mounds up to 30m across are visible North-west of the platforms at SX53105813, overlooking two of the banked enclosures. Immediately south-west of the mounds is a rectilinear pit up to 15m across. A narrow curvilinear ditch circa 1.5 wide and 45m long encloses the northern edge of the mound and pit complex.
It is probable that the banked enclosures contained some of the active components of the decoy, such as fire baskets. The mounds, pit and platforms may have housed the lighting elements, with cabling running to the decoy shelter/control bunker circa constructed further along the field boundary to the northwest, adjacent to Plymbridge Road. This structure is recorded separately (MDV59234).
Two of the rectilinear enclosures remain visible as slight earthworks on aerial photographs of 1968, with a single square enclosure at SX53135819 identifiable as a subtle earthwork on visualisations derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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