See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Site of VHF fixer station for Cold War Rotor stage 1, at Frances Quarry.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1489848

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VHF FIXER STATION (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1655, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1655 4129-30 11-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349996.

Two small structures are visible to the south of the field.

Royal Air Force, 1956, RAF/82/1451, NMR RAF/82/1451 F22 0060-0061 12-JUL-1956 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349052.

The structures remain visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89114, NMR OS/89114 664-665 04-MAY-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350315.

The structures have been removed,

Dobinson, C. S., 2000, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Vol. XI.1 & XI.2: The Cold War, 41, 44, 164, 165 (Report - non-specific). SDV324255.

Site of 'Very High Frequency' VHF fixer station for Cold war, Rotor stage 1, at Frances Quarry. Part of the Southern air defence sector. Direction finding equipment to enable fighter aircraft crews to determine their positions by transmitting on a pre-arranged frequency and receiving positional data in return. Site retained in 1951 but with a future role of 'Readiness' assigned.

Cocroft, Wayne D. and Thomas, Roger J. C., 2003, Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989, 103-104 (Monograph). SDV350502.

Very High Frequency (VHF) Fixer stations formed a network of 79 stations across the United Kingdom established by the Royal Air Force (57 of which were in England). They were built in the early 1950s as part of the Rotor programme to modernise the United Kingdom's radar defences. The stations were divided into thirteen Fixer Organisations and provided directional finding equipment, enabling fighter aircraft crews to receive positional data by transmitting a signal.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

Two small structures of modern date and probable military function are visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s and 1950s, located to the south of a field between Francis Quarry and the Old Barnstaple Road, centred approximately on SS52984543 and SS53084546. The westernmost structure is rectangular in plan and measures circa 8 by 5 metres in size. The roughly circular structure, roughly 100 metres to the east, measures circa 5 metres in diameter. The exact function of the structures have not been identified but it is likely the structures are part of the Very High Frequency (VHF) Fixer station identified in this area.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV324255	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 2000. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England Vol. XI.1 & XI.2: The Cold War. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. XI.1 & XI.2. A4 Bound + Digital. 41, 44, 164, 165.
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349052	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1956. RAF/82/1451. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/82/1451 F22 0060-0061 12-JUL-1956.
SDV349996	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1655. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1655 4129-30 11-JUL-1946.
SDV350315	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89114. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/89114 664-665 04-MAY-1989.
SDV350502	Monograph: Cocroft, Wayne D. and Thomas, Roger J. C.. 2003. Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989. r: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-1989. 103-104.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.