Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

WWII barrage balloon site and associated military structures and defensive emplacements in Aycliff, east of Dover. Mapped from military aerial photographs.

Monument Types

• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARRAGE BALLOON SITE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• HARD STANDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• ROAD (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SLIT TRENCH (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The mooring site for the barrage balloon site at Aycliff contains many military buildings and defensive emplacements. The barrage balloon mooring site itself (630459, 139893) consists of 24 concrete blocks forming the outer ring. There is an inner ring of eight larger blocks. And a singular central point for the winch.

The site was first observed in December 1941 [1] and digitised from June 1942 [2]. However, the structure was removed between 13th September 1945 [3] and 20th December 1945 [6].

An associated military vehicle track way connected to the Old Folkestone Road was observed from the 11th December 1941 [1]. Digitised from the 1st of June 1942 [2] and last observed clearly in April 1946 [4].

Another temporary military structure (four by two metres) possibly used to house the balloon when not in use was first observed on the 2nd February 1941 [5]. Digitised from the 1 June 1942 [2]. But was not evident on the August 1945 [11].

25m to the north west of the barrage balloon mooring point two nissen huts were situated and digitised from the 5th August 1945 [11]. They were demolished to hard standing in September 1945 [3].

Two small military buildings 3.5m by 2.5m and 2m by 1.5m were positioned close to the Old Folkestone Road during the period from February 1941 [5] to April 1946 [4] by which time it was removed. It was digitised from the 1st June 1942 [2].

Other temporary military buildings and hard standing were situated 60m north east from pillbox Mke42098 which was positioned 47m to the North east at (630504, 139914) of the barrage balloon mooring point.

These buildings consisted of a nissen hut first observed in February 1941 [5]. Later observed as dismantled hard standing between the 20th December 1945 and the 5th November 1946 [7]. Two elongated flat roofed military buildings 12m by 3.5m and a smaller building of 8m by 5.5m were also first observed in February1941 [5], and last seen on the 22nd April 1950 [8] and completely missing by the 20th August 1968 [9]. Hard standing of similar dimensions to the nissen hut were recorded between February 1941 [5] and August 1968 [9]. A small unit 2.5m squared with an angled roof was first observed in February 1941 [5] and later observed as hard standing in April 1950 [10]. All the above features were digitised from the 1st June 1942 [2].

South of these World War Two features close to the edge of Shakespear Cliff a slit trench with banking (630601, 139770), and four small banks of unknown function. They were all first observed on the 2nd February 1941 [5] and digitised from the 5th August 1945 [11]. They were all last observedon the 7th April 1950 [10]. And completely removed by MAL/68059 20-AUG-1968 [9].

To the west of here (630431, 139682) a gun pit was positioned 6m east of Mke42099. This was first observed on the 11th December 1941 [1] and last slightly evident on the 20th August 1968 [9].

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