Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A Second World War Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) battery can be seen on aerial photographs taken in 1950. This battery is situated on the north side of Dillywood Lane, east of Higham and was part of the Thames & Medway Gun Defended Area. It was numbered TS9 and named Oak Street. The battery is first seen on aerial photographs taken in 1942 and its layout of guns and associated roadway suggests that it was constructed before or early in the Second World War. The south-western corner of the site was occupied by the domestic buildings, the north-east by the guns. Immediately to the east was the GL mat; this was not photographed in its entirety and its position on the map is approximate. This was under construction in 1942 as were additional buildings within the domestic quarters. Post-war photographs show that two further emplacements and additional buildings within the domestic quarters had been built at the site. A number of allotments can also be seen. Aerial photographs taken in 2007 show the area is now occupied by a garden centre and two houses. All but one of the domestic buildings had been demolished by this date. One gun emplacement clearly survives as does the original magazine. The command post and a second emplacement appear to be covered with soil. A third emplacement may partially survive beneath a mound although part of it has been demolished to make way for a swimming pool. The remaining gun emplacements have been demolished. This site was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.

Monument Types

• MILITARY CAMP (Abandoned 1945?, Modern - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY (Demolished, Modern - 1940 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• AGRICULTURAL BUILDING (Modern - 1945 AD? to 2050 AD?)

Full description

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Battery for 4 x 4.5 in. guns in trapezoidal layout, with command post, magazines and camp for battery personnel. Command post and camp exist (TQ 76 SW 76). Gun emplacements demolished for garden centre.

A Second World War Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) battery can be seen on aerial photographs taken in 1950. This battery is situated on the north side of Dillywood Lane, east of Higham at TQ 7268 7119 and was part of the Thames & Medway Gun Defended Area. It was numbered TS9 and named Oak Street. The battery is first seen on aerial photographs taken in 1942 and its layout of guns and associated roadway suggests that it was constructed before or early in the Second World War. The south-western corner of the site was occupied by the domestic buildings, the north-east by the guns. Immediately to the east was the GL mat (centred on TQ 7280 7123); this was not photographed in its entirety and its position on the map is approximate. It was under construction in 1942 as were additional buildings within the domestic quarters. Post-war photographs show that two further emplacements and additional buildings within the domestic quarters had been built at the site. A number of allotments can also be seen. Aerial photographs taken in 2007 show the area is now occupied by a garden centre and two houses. All but one of the domestic buildings had been demolished by this date (TQ 7269 7105). One gun emplacement clearly survives (TQ 7269 7124) as does the original magazine (TQ 7270 7122). The command post (TQ 7268 7119) and a second emplacement (TQ 7264 7122) appear to be covered with soil. A third emplacement may partially survive beneath a mound although part of it has been demolished to make way for a swimming pool (TQ 7272 7120). The remaining gun emplacements have been demolished. This site was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.(1-9)

Smith, V., 1997, Camp Buildings Attached to the Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Site at Dillywood Laney, Rochester/Frindsbury (Unpublished document). SWX6996.

<1> Next Perspectives, 2007, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: TQ7271 21-APR-2007 (Photograph). SKE56044.

<2> Unknown, 1942, NMR TQ 7270/1 MSO 31000/48 23-MAR-1942 (Photograph). SKE56043.

<3> RAF, 1950, RAF 58/481 5007 5-JUN-1950 (Photograph). SKE56042.

<5> Untitled Source, Photographic record of buildings. Unpub. Victor Smith 1997. (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<6> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites (Index). SKE6445.

<7> English Heritage, 2013, Hoo Peninsula, Kent. Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (Bibliographic reference). SKE31432.

<8> Historic England, 2012, National Mapping Programme survey: Hoo Peninsula (Digital archive). SKE32442.

<9> Archaeology South-East, 2017, Archaeological strip, map and sample report, Blaise Farm Quarry, Offham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE32443.

Sources and further reading