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Summary

Remains of buildings of the former Cold War radar station at Hartland Point, to the south-east of the former World War II radar station.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RADAR STATION (XX - 1950 AD to 1955 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1954, RAF/58/1378, 0015-0016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349063.

The newly constructed Cold War radar station at Hartland point is visible on aerial photographs of 1954. Other details: NMR RAF/58/1378 0015-0016 10-MAR-1954. Map object based on this Source.

GetMapping, 1999, 089/99, 428-429 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349037.

The concrete bases of many of the RAF Hartland Point Cold War radar station structures can clearly be seen on the July 1999 aerial photographs. Other details: DCC GM/089/99 428-9 24-JUL-1999.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Remains of Cold War radar station visible. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2011, Royal Air Force Air-Defence Radar Station Hartland Point, 2-3 (Leaflet). SDV347311.

Three of the twelve permanent World War II RAF air-defence radar stations were upgraded or rebuilt in the subsequent Cold War era, including that at Hartland Point. New buildings were provided in the 1950s for a CGI (ground controlled interception) establishment, which opened in 1955, with a range of surveillance radars and heightfinders. It was almost immediately decided that RAF Hartland Point's role should change to that of a CHEL (chain home extra low) station. The new-found responsibility was that of surveillance in connection with an air-to-air gunnery range. The bases of the guardroom, standby generator and operations block are still visible in a field to the south-east of the current radar station. Other details: Photograph.

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

The newly constructed Cold War radar station at Hartland point is visible on aerial photographs of 1954 as a range of buildings and satellite structures and earthworks, connected by a series of purpose built tracks. Linear stretches of disturbed ground between the main building block (identified as the R8 Technical Block on a plan on the Subterranea Britannica website) and several of the satellite radar plinths may mark the route of underground cabling. The same plan identifies the visible satellite structures as Type 13 and Type 14 radar arrays on eight foot, 23 foot and 25 plinths, and one Type 13 radar on a 25 foot gantry. Other visible strucures include a water tank, a sewage block and the base of an earlier Chain Home Low (CHL) radar mast. The north-westernmost Type 14 Mk IX array was removed for the construction of the extant radar station but remains of many other of the plinths and gantrys, along with the main R8 Technical Block survive and can be seen on recent aerial photographs..

Subterranea Britannica: Research Study Group, 2012, Subterranea Britannica (Website). SDV349127.

A site plan of RAF Hartland Point, based on a plan held in the Subterranea Britannica archive.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
SDV346129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2011. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV347311	Leaflet: Passmore, M. + Passmore, A.. 2011. Royal Air Force Air-Defence Radar Station Hartland Point. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 36. A4 Folded + digital. 2-3.
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
SDV349037	Aerial Photograph: GetMapping. 1999. 089/99. GetMapping Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 428-429.
SDV349063	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1954. RAF/58/1378. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 0015-0016.
SDV349127	Website: Subterranea Britannica: Research Study Group. 2012. Subterranea Britannica. www.subbrit.org.uk/. Website.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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