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Summary

A probable searchlight battery of Second World War date is visible as earthwork banked features and possible associated structure on aerial photographs of 1944 and 1945, to the east of Wroford Manor. Aerial photographs of 1946 show that the site of the former searchlight battery has been completely levelled

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SE/146/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

GLANVILL, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV119117.

Wartime military activity associated with searchlights or anti-aircraft battery reported here (glanvill).

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV119138.

Possible earthworks, footings or trenching recorded on raf 1947 ap (aph).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV119139.

Des=cllr. Glanvill/(12/9/1997)/as above.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV119140.

Aph=raf/cpe/uk/1974/2459/(11/4/1947)/smr 37/48.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC252, US/7PH/GP/LOC252 RP 3015 20-MAR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358580.

An earthwork banked feature is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/996, RAF/106G/UK/996 RVp5 6394-95 12-NOV-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358938.

The site of the searchlight battery is visible as earthwork banked features and possible associated structure.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4372-73 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

The site of the searchlight battery has been completely levelled, although the eastern of the two former earthworks is visible as a soilmark.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 138 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

Dispersed air defence site 'Ack 1' at Marlborough Farm. Three searchlights (one cluster), 85th Searchlight Regiment (Mobile Defence Group), 1941.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

A probable searchlight battery of Second World War date is visible as earthwork banked features with possible associated structure on aerial photographs of 1944 and 1945, to the east of Wroford Manor. The earthworks are located along and partly incorporated into a northwest to southeast aligned field boundary. The southern and larger of the two earthworks comprises a semi-circular bank which measures approximately 14m by 14m and abuts up against the field boundary. An entrance is visible on the northwest side of the bank and a shallow circular depression approximately 4m in diameter is visible within it which may have accommodated the searchlight mounting. The smaller of the two earthworks is oval in shape, measures approximately 5.5m in length by 4m in width and is largely embedded into the field boundary. The function of this earthwork is less clear, although may have served as a predictor emplacement or gun pit. A rectangular area of rough ground with an adjacent structure is visible to the northwest and may represent the site of an additional, but demolished, range of structures, such as generator block and accommodation block. Aerial photographs of 1946 show that the site of the former searchlight battery has been completely levelled, although soilmarks of the eastern of the two earthworks are visible. No further traces of the former site are visible after this date.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV119117	Migrated Record: GLANVILL.
SDV119138	Migrated Record: APH.
SDV119139	Migrated Record:
SDV119140	Aerial Photograph:
SDV323390	Report - non-specific: Francis, P.. 1999. Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council. Airfield Research Publishing Report. Digital + A4. 138.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RS 4372-73 13-APR-1946.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV358580	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC252. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). US/7PH/GP/LOC252 RP 3015 20-MAR-1944.
SDV358938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/996. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/996 RVp5 6394-95 12-NOV-1945. [Mapped feature: #96017 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4774 - Historic Airport Survey, Exeter Airport
• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)

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