Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

WW2 coastal battery comprising several military defence features, located on the seaward side of Deal Castle and mapped from military aerial photographs.

Monument Types

• ANTI AIRCRAFT GUN EMPLACEMENT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BEACH SCAFFOLDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• COASTAL BATTERY (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BATTERY (BATTERY, Modern - 1940 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Site of Deal emergency coastal 6" gun battery of WW2 date, now destroyed (1)

This site has been completely demolished and cleared away with no remains left. It would have consisted of two Gun Emplacements, Battery Observation Posts, Two Searchlight Emplacements, Magazines, Engine Rooms and a Domestic Camp Site. With in the boundrys of the Battery was the earlier Napolionic Battery which still remains today. No Fort Record Book or any other information has been found regarding this site. The battery was on the seaward side of Deal Castle, the battery observation post was on Deal castle. The castle being used by the Royal Artillery and a hutted camp in the field on the southern side of the castle.
Owner :
Publicly accessible :
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : Destroyed
Date of visit : 01/01/75

The WWII coastal battery was mapped from military aerial photographs taken in August 1943 (2), however the site is first evident on photographs taken in February 1941 (3). The site comprised two gun emplacements housed in structures with maximum dimensions of 12m by 12m, and are positioned to the SE of Deal Castle. These are linked by a zigzagging wall. Two associated rectangular military buildings are positioned to the north of Deal Castle and measure 2.7m by 2.3m and 9m by 2.5m. A possible square pillbox is located at 637798E, 152060N, measuring 4m by 4m. Deal Castle would have been utilised as an observation point and for storage and possibly accommodation. A gangway is visible linking the castle's ramparts directly to the site of the northern gun emplacement. Several lengths of barbed wire along with beach scaffolding (extending 770m) enclose the coastal battery providing further defence from invasion. In addition, anti-tank cubes are visible running south from the gun emplacements along Marine Road for approximately 240m.

The battery is first observed in February 1941 (3) and has been mostly removed by February 1946 (4) apart from the two gun emplacements that are removed by April 1946 (5).

<1> CBA Defence of Britain Project, 1994, Defence of Britain Site Report (Bibliographic reference). SKE6447.

Sources and further reading

Related records