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Summary

An anti-aircraft searchlight site of Second World War date is visible as possible structures on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, at Hayes Farm. By 1963, no further traces of the site are visible.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY (World War II - 1943 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1942, RAF/HLA/535, RAF HLA/535 6087 07-MAY-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351408.

No obvious signs of the searchlight site are visible.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC252, US/7PH/GP/LOC252 RP 3015-16 20-MAR-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV358580.

Possible structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1823, RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3069-70 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354994.

A structure and vegetation marks of two former structures are visible. Map object based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3457-58 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A structure and vegetation marks of two former structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1963, RAF/543/2332, RAF/543/2332 2F21 026-27 26-JUL-1963 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354847.

No further traces of the site are visible.

Francis, P., 1999, Exeter Airport. Historic Airport Survey for Devon County Council & East Devon District Council, 140 (Report - non-specific). SDV323390.

A1 Canopy Site at Hayes Farm. 506 Battery, 80th Searchlight Regiment / 469 Battery Battery, 74th Searchlight Regiment, Oct/Nov 1943. Map object based on this Source.

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

An anti-aircraft searchlight site of Second World War date is visible as possible structures on aerial photographs of 1944 onwards, at Hayes Farm. The site of the searchlight, which appears to have been constructed sometime after May 1942, is located alongside the southern edge of a field boundary, to the west of Hayes Farm. Aerial photographs of 1944, appear to show, despite the poor image quality, two adjacent nissen hut type features. By 1946, these appear to have been completely removed, although vegetation marks of the former structures are visible. A small rectangular structure to the west of these is also visible and appears to represent an associated feature of some kind. Aerial photographs of 1947 show both this structure and the vegetation marks of the former nissen huts, although by 1963 no further traces of the site are visible.

Sources / Further Reading

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. 140.
SDV351408	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/HLA/535. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF HLA/535 6087 07-MAY-1942.
SDV354847	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1963. RAF/543/2332. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/543/2332 2F21 026-27 26-JUL-1963.
SDV354994	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1823. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1823 RP 3069-70 04-NOV-1946.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 RP 3457-58 11-APR-1947.
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 3015-16 20-MAR-1944.

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)
• EDV4887 - Assessment Two Areas of Highway to the East of Exeter
• EDV5985 - Geophysical Survey on Land at Exeter Gateway
• EDV6358 - Archaeological Evaluation at Hayes Farm, Clyst Honiton

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