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Summary

The site of an emergency coastal defence battery built in 1942 is visible as a range of structures and an earthwork pit and bank on aerial photographs from 1944 onwards and digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006 at Inner Froward Point, Kingswear. The site comprises two gun emplacements and two searchlight batteries together with eleven other roofed structures forming the operational part of the complex.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks of the former Brownestone Emergency Battery, north of Inner Froward Point

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 447494
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX94NW/48
• Tide Project

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BATTERY (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)

Full description

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC147, US/7PH/GP/LOC147 V 5037-38 20-JAN-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351618.

The battery is visible as a range of structures and an earthwork pit and bank. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/967, RAF/106G/UK/967 P 3064-65 01-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351060.

The battery is visible as a range of structures.

NLAP, 1951, NLAP 1951 RAF 58/680/, F20/8333/Cornwall 4086 (Aerial Photograph). SDV144602.

Royal Air Force, 1951, RAF/58/680, RAF/58/680/ RS 4087 15-MAY-1951 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351617.

The battery is visible as a range of structures.

Luxton, C., 1955, Crediton Charity Schools, 41 (Article in Serial). SDV53615.

Site was mothballed until 1956. A survey has been undertaken by the NT prior to consolidation (Luxton).

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/58/2549, NMR SX 9049/15 RAF 30137/PSF0-P1-0411 27-AUG-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351446.

The battery is visible as a range of structures.

Le Messuerier, B., 1983, Brownstone Battery (Personal Comment). SDV144592.

Second World War fortifications on the inner forward point on the east side of the Dart estuary. An impressive array of military installation survives. The site is approached by a military road from the north and structures include gun emplacement, magazines and searchlight positions. Site is on National Trust land.

National Trust, 1984, East Dart, Devon, 13 (Report - Survey). SDV338477.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, DAP/HR, 3-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140298.

The 1986 aerial photo records surviving military buildings and two circular 6" gun emplacements above the coastal slope.

Coleman, R., 1989, The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, 2 (Monograph). SDV362008.

Large battery for counter bombardment purposes. Armed with two 9.6" guns.

Guy, J., 1990, List of Coastal Batteries (Un-published). SDV15882.

Wilson-North, W. R., 1993, A Second World War Emergency Coastal Battery at Inner Forward Point, Kingswear (Article in Serial). SDV152594.

Operated by 556 coastal defence regiment, Royal Artillery. Apparently never saw active service. Approached from the north by the original concrete military road with flanking concrete and barbed wire fences. Buildings in an excellent state of preservation, apart from superficial vandalism.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1994, Brownstone Battery (Report - Survey). SDV144597.

Second World War emergency coastal defence battery built in 1942 commanding the Dart and its approaches. It was armed with two ex-naval 6" guns. Mothballed in 1945. Guns still in place in 1951. Closed in 1956. Site comprises two gun emplacements and two searchlight batteries (see subsheets) with 11 other roofed structures forming the operational part of the complex. To the east lay the accommodation area (see subsheet) which has largely been demolished (either in 1945 or 1956). The buildings are in an excellent state of preservation in an area of cypress woodland (AA protection). Because of the steep coastal location the buildings lie on various levels connected by a network of concrete paths and steps. All the buildings are of either concrete blockwork and/or brick and all have reinforced concrete roofs. The two emplacements are almost identical, built for single 6" guns on MKVII mountings. The western emplacement consists of a circular reinforced concrete structure built on a rock-cut platform. The footing of the protecting parapet on the seaward side survives. Various internal features in the emplacement and associated magazines survive. The eastern (upper) gun is served by two magazines (in one building) and three further buildings. They are linked to the emplacement by a sunken concrete-lined path along which the shells were moved. The western gun was connected to its two separate magazines by an inclined rail. A building to the west of the rail provided stand down accommodation for the personnel. Each gun was served by a searchlight close to the waters edge (see subsheets). The observation post to the east of the upper emplacement is in a very good state of preservation having been used as a store up until recently. It contains a kitchen, a chart room and the observation area with long iron-shuttered windows. Internally timber rests and shelving survive in addition to the concrete pillar that presumably supported the range finding equipment. On the wall there is a faded notice which reads "Datum points -99 coast battery height of DRF 209ft". Adjacent to this building are three buildings, one of which was a generator room. Another was probably the mess and the third is unknown in function. A second generator room lies to the north of the upper battery magazines and in it the bases for 3 generators survive.

Griffith, F. M., 1994, DAP/WU, 6-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV283804.

Skinner, I., Duffy, M. et al, 1994, Devon and the Navy in the Second World War (Article in Monograph). SDV144603.

Skinner, I. IH M. Duffy et al (eds)/The new maritime history of Devon Vol II/(1994)204-14/Devon and the Navy in the Second World War.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 54 (Monograph). SDV165766.

Wasley refers to there being a counter bombardment battery at Brownstone in 1940, armed with two 9.6" guns.

Luxton, N., 1994, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV144596.

The site was mothballed until 1956. A survey has been undertaken by the NT prior to consolidation.

Jury, R., 1996, Brownstone Battery (Worksheet). SDV144591.

Site visited on 18th June 1996. Attached photograph taken from the sea.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9049 03-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351300.

The battery is visible as a range of structures and demolished structures. Map object based on this source.

Passmore, M., 2010, Brownstone Battery, Kingswear, 3 (Leaflet). SDV345198.

While some of the wartime structures have been demolished, there is still much to see, and the site is deemed to be exceptional since the operational area of the Battery is intact. Two searchlight positions remain while the former Battery Observation Post has been converted and now serves as a look-out position for the National Coastwatch Institution. Buildings photographed include a mess room with a store and the Battery Observation Post behind, the eastern and western gun positions, a magazine, the generator room and the inclined plane. Other details: Photographs.

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

An emergency coastal defence battery built in 1942 is visible as a range of structures and an earthwork pit and bank on aerial photographs from 1944 onwards, and digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006 at Inner Froward Point, Kingswear. The main components of the battery, which encompass an area of approximately 1.5 hectares, include gun emplacements, searchlight batteries, accommodation block, observation post and a range of other structures interconnected by a series of trackways,. The northern extent of the battery is defined by two lines of barbed-wire entanglements, with three adjacent nissen huts of a possible guard and administration block located block further to the north and positioned next to the main access road leading to the battery. A circular earthwork pit and bank feature of a probable gun pit is also visible approximately 95m to the east of these structures. The structures and earthwork pit and bank are first visible on aerial photographs of 1944. By 1945, the barbed wire entanglements have been removed, the earthwork pit and bank levelled and two of the structures of the possible guard/administration block removed. The single remaining structure has been removed by 1958. The main components of the battery remain visible as structures and demolished structures on recent digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006.

Buckley, B, Undated, Brownstone Battery, Kingswear (Site Visit). SDV144601.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV140298	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1986. DAP/HR. Devon Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3-4.
SDV144591	Worksheet: Jury, R.. 1996. Brownstone Battery. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV144592	Personal Comment: Le Messuerier, B.. 1983. Brownstone Battery. Digital.
SDV144596	Correspondence: Luxton, N.. 1994. Letter to B. Horner. Letter + Digital.
SDV144597	Report - Survey: Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England. 1994. Brownstone Battery. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV144601	Site Visit: Buckley, B. Undated. Brownstone Battery, Kingswear. Unknown.
SDV144602	Aerial Photograph: NLAP. 1951. NLAP 1951 RAF 58/680/. NLAP. Unknown. F20/8333/Cornwall 4086.
SDV144603	Article in Monograph: Skinner, I., Duffy, M. et al. 1994. Devon and the Navy in the Second World War. The New Maritime History of Devon Volume II. Unknown.
SDV152594	Article in Serial: Wilson-North, W. R.. 1993. A Second World War Emergency Coastal Battery at Inner Forward Point, Kingswear. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 51.
SDV15882	Un-published: Guy, J.. 1990. List of Coastal Batteries. Typescript.
SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 54.
SDV283804	Aerial Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1994. DAP/WU. Devon County Council Aerial Photograph. 6-12.
SDV338477	Report - Survey: National Trust. 1984. East Dart, Devon. National Trust Archaeological Survey Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. 13.
SDV345198	Leaflet: Passmore, M.. 2010. Brownstone Battery, Kingswear. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 7. A4 Folded + digital. 3.
SDV351060	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/967. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/967 P 3064-65 01-NOV-1945.
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
SDV351300	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9049 03-JUN-2006.
SDV351446	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/58/2549. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX 9049/15 RAF 30137/PSF0-P1-0411 27-AUG-1958.
SDV351617	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1951. RAF/58/680. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/680/ RS 4087 15-MAY-1951.
SDV351618	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC147. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC147 V 5037-38 20-JAN-1944.
SDV362008	Monograph: Coleman, R.. 1989. The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham. The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham. Unknown. 2.
SDV53615	Article in Serial: Luxton, C.. 1955. Crediton Charity Schools. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 87. A5 Paperback. 41.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4890 - Site Visit to Brownstone Battery, Kingswear
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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