Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Second World War heavy anti aircraft battery for 4 x 4.5-in. guns in a field south of the North Kent railway and east of Mark Lane at Denton, Gravesend. It formed part of the Thames South grouping of anti-aircraft gun defences. Built in 1938, it consisted of four standard octagonal concrete emplacements arranged on the points of an imaginary trapezium, to which was centred a rectangular concrete command post, having both surface and contained operational elements. The domestic site appears to have been about 100m NE of the battery. Decommissioned in 1945, it became derelict and the last remnants were removed in c. 1985.

Summary from record TQ 67 SE 224:

Anti aircraft defences

Monument Types

• ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY (Destroyed 1985, Modern - 1938 AD? to 1945 AD?)

Full description

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Second World War heavy anti-aircraft battery for 4.5-in. guns in a field south of the North Kent railway and east of Mark Lane at Denton, Gravesend. It formed part of the Thames South grouping of anti-aircraft gun defences and was designated S16, and was part of the 6th AA Division. Built by 1938, it consisted of four standard octagonal concrete emplacements arranged on the points of an imaginary trapezium, to which was centred a rectangular concrete command post, with a flat concrete roof having open elements for the spotting telescope, height-finder and other instruments, and within the command and telephone room. The domestic site appears to have been about 100 m NE of the core of the battery and consisted of a number of huts. From local recollection, the battery saw much action in firing at enemy aircraft. It was decommissioned at the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945 and was soon disarmed. The battery was then absorbed within the perimeter of commercial industrial premises and gradually fell into decay. Parts of the battery were gradually removed to make way for truck parking and the last remnant was cleared in c. 1985.
Owner : Private
Publicly accessible : No
How accessed for survey : Site destroyed
Tourism Potential : None
Condition : Destroyed
Date of visit : 26/01/07

Description from record TQ 67 SE 224:
Mostly destroyed by commercial development. One emplacement remains with some possible traces of ancillary buildings as foundations in adjacent marshy area (1), site photographs (2-9).

Council for British Archaeology, 01/01/96, Twntieth century Fortifications in England Vol. I.1 Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-46 (Bibliographic reference). SKE14025.

Council for British Archaeology, 01/01/96, Twntieth century Fortifications in England Vol. I.1 Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-46 (Bibliographic reference). Ske14025.

<1> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites (Index). SKE6445.

<2> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9418.

<3> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9431.

<4> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9469.

<5> 1940, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9992.

<6> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10016.

<7> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10064.

<8> 1941, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10116.

<9> 1940, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10127.

Sources and further reading