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Summary

A probable gun emplacement of Second World War date is visible as a series of earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the northwest of Lower Halsdon Farm, Exmouth.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Trust SMR: 100760
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX98SE/191

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV109075.

Des=ntas/lower halsdon farm, exmouth/(1999) 13.

National Trust, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV5615.

Vis=-/2/1999 (national trust) possible site of gun emplacement. Mr long recalls gun emplacements sited along estuary wall in wwii. A number of depressions visible against wall, but no field evidence for location identified. Not visible on 1946 raf ap (national trust).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4032-33 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The site of the gun emplacement appears visible as a series of earthwork banks.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/58/369, RAF/58/369 V 5064-65 27-FEB-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV355804.

The site of the former gun emplacement remains visible as a series of earthwork banks.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/58/2563, RAF/58/2563 F22 009-010 10-SEP-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352662.

The earthwork banks of the possible former gun emplacement have been completely levelled.

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

A probable gun emplacement of Second World War date is visible as a series of earthwork banks on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards, to the northwest of Lower Halsdon Farm, Exmouth. It has been suggested that the site of the gun emplacement was located alongside the estuary wall, although no such evidence for this was visible at this location. Instead, the possible site appears to be located further inland along the western extent of a field boundary which borders onto the railway line. The possible site is visible a series of four semi-circular and circular earthwork banks spread out over a length of approximately 112m along the field boundary, with each earthwork spaced approximately 30m apart. Other additional earthwork features may also be present, although were not clearly visible on aerial photographs and could not be transcribed. The probable gun pits, which were not clearly visible on aerial photographs prior to 1946, remain visible as a series of earthwork banks on aerial photographs up until 1950, although appear to have been completely levelled by 1958.

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV109075	Migrated Record:
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 RS 4032-33 13-APR-1946.
SDV352662	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/58/2563. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/2563 F22 009-010 10-SEP-1958.
SDV355804	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/58/369. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/369 V 5064-65 27-FEB-1950. [Mapped feature: #96752 ]
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV5615	Migrated Record: National Trust.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

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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