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Summary

A coastal battery of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1941 onwards, at Castle Cove at the mouth of the Dart Estuary.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 446055

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COASTAL BATTERY (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/1416/S314H53, NMR SX 8850/17 RAF 31214/PO-103 10-JUL-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351452.

The coastal battery appears visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 RS 4044-45 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

The coastal battery appears visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF 230/CAL/UK/5, NMR SX 8850/22 RAF 30092/SO-0042 15-AUG-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351455.

The former coastal battery remains visible as a range of structures, although both nissen huts have been removed.

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/520, RAF/541/520 RP 3058-59 13-MAY-1950 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352112.

All structures of the former battery, apart from the engine room appear to 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 coastal battery of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1941 onwards, at Castle Cove. The site is located on a headland between Sugary Cove to the south and Castle Cove to the north and occupies an area of approximately 0.22 hectares of gentle southeast facing slope. A probable disguised gun house is visible as a structure to the south of the site. This measures approximately 9.5m long by 8.5m wide. A central circular feature that measures approximately 4.5m in diameter on the roof of the structure might be a holdfast for a Light Anti Aircraft gun. To the immediate north is a possible second light anti-aircraft gun emplacement, measuring approximately 11.5m long and complete with an ammunition locker and possible embankment on its western side. Two nissen huts for possible accommodation and storage are visible as structures to the north of the light anti-aircraft emplacement and are all connected by a series of pathways. Two possible searchlights are also visible as structures. These are located to the east of the site, on a rock outcrop accessed via a series of descending steps, and to the west of the site, although this is largely obscured by a coverage of trees (not mapped but located at approximately SX886501). The main engine room is also visible on higher ground approximately 80m to the northwest of the main site, off Castle Road, although again is largely obscurred by dense vegetation. A path leads downhill from the engine room southeastwards towards the main site. The former anti-aircraft battery remains visible as a series of partly dismantled structures on aerial photographs of 1947, although both nissen huts have been removed. By 1950, the site appears to have been almost completely cleared and levelled, other than the engine room to the northwest of the site which remains extant on Master Map 2014. Below ground elements of the former anti-aircraft battery may, however, survive to some extent.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

The former engine room remains complete and intact.

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

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/967. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/967 RS 4044-45 01-NOV-1945. [Mapped feature: #64680 ]
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
SDV351452	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/1416/S314H53. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX 8850/17 RAF 31214/PO-103 10-JUL-1941.
SDV351455	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF 230/CAL/UK/5. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX 8850/22 RAF 30092/SO-0042 15-AUG-1947.
SDV352112	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF/541/520. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/541/520 RP 3058-59 13-MAY-1950.
SDV355681	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2014. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1

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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