Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Southern Breakwater Battery was built to defend Dover Harbour from enemy shipping. It was constructed in 1910 and armed with two 6-inch breech-loading Mk. Vll guns. It is visible in 1945, located on the Southern Breakwater of Dover’s Outer Harbour. Probably also part of a boom defenc. It was probably abandoned around 1956. Many of the upstanding features have been demolished but evidence of the defences still remain. The gun emplacements and searchlight bases were still visible on Next Perspectives photography taken in 2003.(location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BARRACKS (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD to 2050 AD)
• BATTERY (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD? to 1956 AD?)
• COAST ARTILLERY SEARCHLIGHT (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD to 2050 AD)
• GUN EMPLACEMENT (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD to 2050 AD)
• MAGAZINE (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD? to 1956 AD?)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD to 2050 AD)
• OBSERVATION POST (Disused, Modern - 1910 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Southern battery on the South Breakwater. Probably also part of a boom defence it was armed with 2 x 6pdrs plus a twin-six (6pdr) during WW2. It was probably abandoned around 1956. Upstanding features have been demolished but evidence of the defences still remain.(1)

The Southern Breakwater Battery was built to defend Dover Harbour from enemy shipping. It was constructed in 1910 and armed with two 6-inch breech-loading Mk. Vll guns. The defences spanned an area at the SW end of the Breakwater measuring 280m x 15m.The battery was in use throughout the First and Second World Wars. By September 1940 a third gun emplacement had been constructed at the site for a six pounder weapon. The battery was manned by 293 and 294 Batteries of 519 Coast Regiment of the Royal Artillery, until the site was reduced to care and maintenance in 1943. Two pits for 6-inch guns remain at the site, as does the base of the emplacement for the twin 6-pounder gun and four steel searchlight sponsons. Defences visible on aerial photography taken in 1945, located on the Southern Breakwater of Dover’s Outer Harbour. Mapped by the South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey were two gun emplacements, one of which was camouflaged, the emplacements contained two small structures; an observation tower; three searchlights; eleven associated buildings, four of which were camouflaged; five small structures; a removed camouflaged feature; and a wall. Below the mapped features were magazines and accommodations. The gun emplacements and searchlight bases were still visible on Next Perspectives photography taken in 2003. As were the camouflaged buildings and some structures. A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photographs exists within a GIS layer held by this HER. (1-5)

<1> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage, KD107 (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<2> C. Dobson, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England: Coast Artillery 1900-1956 (Monograph). SKE52187.

<3> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<4> General websites from the Internet, http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/dover_harbour_breakwater.htm (Unpublished document). SWX15706.

<5> Next Perspectives consortium via English Heritage, 2003, 2007, Next Perspective PGA georeferenced aerial photograph data, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: TR3340 12-SEP-2003 (Graphic material). SWX15711.

Sources and further reading

Related records