Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The battery was built in 1898-1900 as a combined battery to guard the eastern side of the harbour, complimenting the battery on the Citadel (TR 34 SW 222). Originally the battery had 2x9.2" BL (breech loaders) guns which were removed in 1912. By 1915 it had in position 3x9.2" Mk X's guns for Counter Bombardment 2x6" guns for Close Defence and two machine guns. In the 1920s the 9.2" guns were removed and sent to the Far East. Langdon was used as a practice battery. In 1941 the war manning of the battery was 5 officers and 110 men. Langdon Battery was placed in Care & Maintenance of three gunners in March 1945 when the tank obstacles and barbed wire were removed, and in May the following year it was handed over to the Royal Engineers. Viewed in 1980 the site was derelict and guarded by two concrete pillboxes. It was subsequently converted to the Coastguard Station in 1974.

The Coastguard Station was superimposed on the site of the 9.2" emplacements. Originally the site was protected by a shallow ditch with (TR 34 SW 543) 6ft steel fence and barbed-wire entanlement, an outer fence of 4ft 6" and a musketry parapet. Later two concrete pillboxes were added to guard each entrance to the site. A caretakers cottage and officers accommodation (TR 34 SW 564) was located approximately 190m to the west of the battery.

Summary from record TR 34 SW 819:

A coast battery built in 1901 as part of the defences of Dover Harbour. Five emplacements for three 9.2 inch guns and two 6 inch guns.

Monument Types

• COASTAL BATTERY (Modern - 1901 AD? to 1947 AD?)
• (Former Type) SIGNAL STATION (Modern - 1914 AD? to 1918 AD?)

Full description

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TR 338424. Batteries were built at Longdon in 1895 and in 1928 armed with two 6" and two 6" plus three 9.2" guns respectively. (1).

The battery was built in 1898-1900 as a combined battery to guard the eastern side of the harbour, complimenting the battery on the Citadel (TR 34 SW 222). Originally the battery had 2x9.2" BL (breech loaders) guns which were removed in 1912. By 1915 it had in position 3x9.2" Mk X's guns for Counter Bombardment 2x6" guns for Close Defence and two machine guns. In the 1920s the 9.2" guns were removed and sent to the Far East. Langdon was used as a practice battery.

In 1914 Nos 40 and 46 Companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery and one company of the Kent RGA (TF) manned the following: Citadel battery, Pier Turret, Pier Extension, Eastern Arm, Southern Breakwater and Langdon Batteries. In 1920 the Kent Heavy Brigade was formed with 168 Heavy Battalion at Dover. By 1926 the whole of the Coast Artillery was taken over by the Territorial Army, with the manning of the Coast Artillery Searchlights being the responsibility of the Fortress Royal Engineers TA. In 1941 it was manned by 291 Battery RA and monunted light anti-aircraft defences in the form of one 40mm Bofors gun sited in one of the 9.2" emplacements.

In 1932 the Kent and Sussex batteries were merged into one regiment, the Kent & Sussex Heavy Regiment RATA which by 1940 had changed its' name to 519 (K&S) Coast Regiment RA who were in charge of batteries surrounding the harbour., Pier Turret, Pier Extension, South Breakwater, Eastern Arm and the Examination Battery of Langdon, with 520 Battery formed to take over the responsibilities of the batteries on the Western Heights. Langdon was used to interrogate shipping in the waters around the harbour. If they didi not give the code signal then they were challenged. Also in 1940 a further off-shoot of the 519 was the 5th Super Heavy Regiment who manned the railway mounted battery in Sheperdswell Tunnel with its 12" guns. Events were developing fast and with the increased threat of invasion so did the development of the coast artillery. In 1941 540 battery was created to man the Long Range Batteries at Fan Bay, Wanstone and South Foreland. The war manning of the battery was 5 officers and 110 men. Langdon Battery was placed in Care & Maintenance of three gunners in March 1945 when the tank obstacles and barbed wire were removed, and in May the following year it was handed over to the Royal Engineers. Viewed in 1980 the site was derelict and guarded by two concrete pillboxes. It was subsequently converted to the Coastguard Station in 1974.(2)

The Coastguard Station was superimposed on the site of the 9.2" emplacements. Originally the site was protected by a shallow ditch with (TR 34 SW 543) 6ft steel fence and barbed-wire entanlement, an outer fence of 4ft 6" and a musketry parapet. Later two concrete pillboxes were added to guard each entrance to the site. A caretakers cottage and officers accommodation (TR 34 SW 564) was located approximately 190m to the west of the battery.(3)

The battery contains a possible First World War signal station. An Admiralty Order from 1917 (OA21) confirms use of wireless equipped aircraft in a spotting capacity for coastal gun batteries and identifies Langdon Battery as one of the ground receiving stations. No above ground remains survive although archaeology may remain below ground level. (4)

Description from record TR 34 SW 819:
Five gun emplacements, three 9.2 inch and two 6 inch guns. Magazines below the gun emplacements, Battery Observation post originaly raised behind the guns but later built into the cliff face infront of the battery with a tunnel for access from the magazines. Seachlights at the bottom of Langdon cliffs and engine rooms at the top. The armament changed throughout the life of the battery with guns being changed and removed. At the start of World War Two there were only two 6 inch guns emplaced and a third one being added during the war. 1901 2 x 6 inch. 1902 3 x 9.2 and 2 x 6 inch. Coast Guard Station now built over two of the 9.2 inch emplacements.
Owner : Private
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : moderate
Date of visit : 22/06/07

Verbal Communication (Verbal communication). SKE14135.

<1> Verbal Communication (Verbal communication). Ske14135.

<1> Bennett, D., 1977, A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945, H'book of Kent's Defences,1540-1945,1977 17 26 (D Bennett) (Monograph). SKE7811.

<2> Nicola Bannister, 1999, Langdon Cliffs Survey (Unpublished document). SKE6595.

<3> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage, KD76 (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<4> Oxford Archaeological South, 2016, First World War Wireless Stations in England. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31551.

<5> Google Earth, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 31-DEC-2003 ACCESSED 02-SEPT-2010 (Graphic material). SWX15704.

Sources and further reading

Related records