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Summary

One of two Second World War generator houses supplying power to the searchlights and gun floors. Visible as a structure on aerial photographs between 1942 and 1958. In 2012 the structure is obscured by tree growth. The door and windows of the concrete structure, which was built against an old perimeter wall, are now blocked to prevent access.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020411: World War II Emergency Coastal Battery and remains of a Victorian practice battery, at Battery Gardens

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX95NW/93/7
• Tide Project: 16/11/2023
• Torbay HER: MTO52997

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GENERATOR HOUSE (Built, World War II - 1939 AD (Between) to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/AC39, RAF/AC39 V 54-55 29-APR-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352346.

A structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2488, RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5227-5228 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352767.

A structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/58/2549, NMR SX9256/26 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0069 27-AUG-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351446.

The building is not clearly visible due to tree growth.

Coleman, R., 1989, The Purpose and History of the Battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, 4 (Monograph). SDV362008.

One of the two battery generator houses supplying power to the searchlights and gun floors. Unclear if one was a back-up.

Horner, B., 1994, Battery Gardens, Slide (Site Visit). SDV318352.

Site visit 14th April 1994. Building still intact.

Phil Newman, 2001, Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, 7, plan (Report - Survey). SDV362290.

One of two generator houses supplying power to the battery; this one lies inside the pre-war perimeter wall. Each house contained two diesel-powered generators. The concrete structure has been sealed to prevent entry.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9256_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The area is obscured by tree growth.

Newman, P. + Salvatore, J., 2003, An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay, 218, Fig. 3 (Article in Serial). SDV318361.

One of two generator houses. Of concrete construction, built against an old boundary wall. Each generator house held two diesel-powered generators for supplying power, mainly to the searchlights. The door and windows are blocked to prevent access.

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

One of the generator houses of Brixham Emergency Coastal Battery is visible on aerial photographs between 1942 and 1958 as a roughly rectangular structure with a flat roof circa 8.5 by 6 metres in plan. The structure is not visible on the most recent aerial photographs as this area is now obscured by trees.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV318352	Site Visit: Horner, B.. 1994. Battery Gardens. Slide. Slide.
SDV318361	Article in Serial: Newman, P. + Salvatore, J.. 2003. An emergency coast artillery battery at Battery Gardens, Brixham, Torbay. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 61. 218, Fig. 3.
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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9256_20120918ortho.ecw 18-SEP-2012.
SDV351446	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/58/2549. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX9256/26 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0069 27-AUG-1958.
SDV352346	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/AC39. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/AC39 V 54-55 29-APR-1942.
SDV352767	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2488. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5227-5228 11-MAR-1948.
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. 4.
SDV362290	Report - Survey: Phil Newman. 2001. Battery Gardens, Brixham, Devon: An Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. Unknown. 7, plan.
SDV365227	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2023. Mastermap 2023. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #141651 ]

Associated Monuments

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)
• EDV7848 - Archaeological Survey by Phil Newman - May 2001

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