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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 87 NE 91
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:Anti-tank obstacles, Grain

Summary

Concrete World War II anti-tank defences consisting of 'Dragon's teeth' and cubes. The concrete cubes most resemble a type that were discontinued by 1941 indicating a date of construction before this. The dragon's teeth are in a fair state of preservation

Partial erosion in some sections has revealed details of the concrete substructure which acted as foundations for the obstacles.

Summary from record TQ 87 NE 1088:

Length of dragons teeth ending in anti-tank blocks

Summary from record TQ 87 NE 1084:

Anti tank blocks at end of length of dragons teeth.


Grid Reference:TQ 8861 7729
Map Sheet:TQ87NE
Parish:ISLE OF GRAIN, MEDWAY, KENT

Monument Types

Protected Status:Listed Building (II) 1393145: WORLD WAR II ANTI-TANK OBSTACLES ON THE FORESHORE

Full description

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On the coast, just north of Grain, is a length of anti-tank obstacles, part of which is very well preserved. These obstacles are predominantly 'dragon's teeth' and run for approximately 400m from the end of the sea wall (TQ 8885 7710) to the boundary of the Ministry of Defence range (TQ 8855 7735). A shallow ditch continues the line of the obstacles into the range, where further concrete blocks can be seen, implying the former continuation of the anti-tank defences. At the boundary of the range the line of dragons teeth is broken by a line of cubes running perpendicular to it. The cubes are set in two rows directly into the sand and are 1.4m (4ft 6") square and over 0.8m high. They do not correspond to either of the standard sizes for cube anti-tank obstacles, though they most resemble a type that were discontinued by 1941. It is probable, therefore that the cubes, and presumably also the dragon's teeth at Grain were constructed before 1941. The dragon's teeth are of particular interest due to their good preservation though erosion at the southern end has been severe. Partial erosion in some sections has revealed details of the concrete substructure which acted as foundations for the obstacles. The teeth are not of standard design, and vary in height from 0.5m (c.1 ft7") to 1.5m (c.5 ft). [Archive report and survey]. (1-3). Photo & context with other C20th defences (4). Additional reference (5,6). Site identified during 2002 survey (7). Photographs (8-12).

Description from record TQ 87 NE 1088:
Concrete base with concrete 'toblerone' shaped anti tank blocks.
Owner : Unknown
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey : Via seawall footpath
Tourism Potential : Most definitely. Outstanding example of complete length of dragons teeth ending in anti-tank blocks
Condition : good
Date of visit : 07/01/14

Description from record TQ 87 NE 1084:
Rectangular concrete blocks formed using wooden shuttering.
Owner : Unknown
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey : Via seawall footpath
Tourism Potential : Most definitely. Outstanding example of complete length of dragons teeth ending in anti-tank blocks
Condition : good
Date of visit : 07/01/14

Listing Text:

ISLE OF GRAIN

1797/0/10017 (North side)
24-FEB-09 WORLD WAR II ANTI-TANK OBSTACLES ON TH
E FORESHORE

II
Anti-tank obstacles of pimple, cube and caltrop form, circa 1940.

DESCRIPTION: Concrete anti-tank obstacles forming a north-west to south-east line approximately 570m long on the foreshore to the north of Grain village. The line consists of concrete asymmetric anti-tank pimples (truncated pyramids also colloquially known as Dragon's Teeth) in offset rows approximately 1.2m apart. All are fixed to a continuous reinforced concrete grid of sleepers/groins. The pimples increase in height from the outer (seaward facing) examples to the inner (at circa 1.7m tall). There are traces of red paint on the caps of some. Where the rows are complete, there are four pimples to each row but because of the off-set lay-out this creates a barrier eight deep. At the north-west end: double line of anti-tank concrete cubes at right-angles to the main line. At the south-east end: a large pile of anti-tank caltrops hard up against the sea wall. (These are blocks of concrete with four protruding arms so that whichever way up they were placed, one arm always points upwards.) The condition of the defended line is variable: there are two particularly good sections at either end of the line (at the north-western extremity running south-east for approximately 270m plus the return of anti-tank cubes; at the south-eastern end running north-west for approximately 60m including the caltrops), but the central section has been disturbed by tidal action and coastal erosion. This has resulted in the loss, damage and burial of some elements such that this section is no longer complete and is therefore not considered of special interest although the remains have some value as part of the larger defensive group.

HISTORY: These anti-tank obstacles were erected circa 1940 as part of the anti-invasion defences for the Grain peninsula, Kent. This line fills a gap between the mostly northerly extent of the Grain village sea wall and the Grain and Lea marshes to the north-west. The beach at Grain was perceived as a possible attractive landing place and the line was intended, in this eventuality, to prevent enemy armoured vehicles from heading in-land. Tactically their purpose was to prevent enemy progress but in the event that an enemy vehicle did attempt to drive across an obstacle, its vulnerable underside would be exposed to defensive fire.

SOURCES:
Saunders, A & Smith, V, Kent's Defence Heritage, Kent County Council, p82 and gazetteer (site reference KD201)(2001)
Smith, V, Front-Line Kent, p98 and gazetteer (2003)
Defence of Britain Project Database site reference S0010737 at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/collections/blurbs/324.cfm

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: The line of World War II anti-tank obstacles to the north of Grain village is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* As a particularly extensive and evocative line of anti-tank obstacles stretching for approximately 570m along the coast;
* As a group which exhibits various forms of anti-tank obstacles including an unusual form of anti-tank pimple on a concrete sleeper grid, anti-tank cubes and nationally rare caltrops. (13)

Mentioned in Isle of Grain Historic Area Assessment conducted by English Heritage in 2014 (Fig. 15) (14).


MMRG, 07/01/07, Anti tank blocks (Photograph). SKE14660.

MMRG, 07/01/07, Anti tank blocks (Photograph). SKE14661.

<1> Grain Dragon's Teeth Anti-tank Obtacles/report, RCHME Field investigation 27-Apr-1994 (J Kenney), Page Nos. 1 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6405.

<2> Grain, Dragon's Teeth Anti-tank Obstacles/survey (Graphic material). SKE6404.

<3> RCHME: Dragon's Teeth Anti-Tank Obstacles, Grain, Kent (Collection). SKE6499.

<4> Smith, V.T.C., 1995, The defences of the 20th century (Article in monograph). SWX9359.

<5> RCHME: East Thames Corridor Project (Collection). SKE6550.

<6> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD124 (Index). SWX11828.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 2002, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Phase II: Field Assessment (Pilot) (Bibliographic reference). SWX11840.

<8> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9555.

<9> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10236.

<10> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10239.

<11> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9554.

<12> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9482.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> English Heritage, 2014, Isle of Grain, Hoo Peninsula, Kent: Historic area assessment (Monograph). SKE29397.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
---Photograph: MMRG. 07/01/07. Anti tank blocks.
---Photograph: MMRG. 07/01/07. Anti tank blocks.
<1>Bibliographic reference: Grain Dragon's Teeth Anti-tank Obtacles/report. PAP. TYP. RCHME Field investigation 27-Apr-1994 (J Kenney), Page Nos. 1.
<2>Graphic material: Grain, Dragon's Teeth Anti-tank Obstacles/survey. PER. PEN.
<3>Collection: RCHME: Dragon's Teeth Anti-Tank Obstacles, Grain, Kent.
<4>Article in monograph: Smith, V.T.C.. 1995. The defences of the 20th century. 135-143.
<5>Collection: RCHME: East Thames Corridor Project.
<6>Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD124.
<7>Bibliographic reference: Wessex Archaeology. 2002. North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Phase II: Field Assessment (Pilot).
<8>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4018. print.
<9>Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 54. print.
<10>Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 61. print.
<11>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4016. print.
<12>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 3016. print.
<13>Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
<14>Monograph: English Heritage. 2014. Isle of Grain, Hoo Peninsula, Kent: Historic area assessment.