Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Complex of WWII coastal defences, Pegwell Bay, west of Ramsgate, comprising slit trenching, gun emplacements, Nissen huts, other military buildings and barbed wire, visible from military aerial photographs.

Monument Types

• ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MACHINE GUN POST (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• PILLBOX (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SLIT TRENCH (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BANK (EARTHWORK) (Modern - 1942 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENT (Modern - 1942 AD to 1947 AD)
• MACHINE GUN POST (Modern - 1942 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (Modern - 1942 AD to 1945 AD)
• SLIT TRENCH (Modern - 1942 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENT (Modern - 1946 AD to 1947 AD)

Full description

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Complex of WWII coastal defences situated along the coastline of Pegwell Bay, W of Ramsgate, comprising slit trenching, anti-aircraft battery, Nissen huts, other military buildings, gun pits and barbed wire, visible from military aerial photographs.

The first phase of military activity in this area is visible on photographs taken in February 1941 [1] and shows the vast lengths of slit trenching that are visible running parallel to the coastline with offshoots extending inland. The slit trenching extends almost 0.5km around the coast. A second phase of slit trenching is visible on photographs taken in January 1942 [2] that extend inland from the original trenches and are surrounded by bank material. Offshoots of trenching are visible by April 1944 [6] leading to two circular gun pits measuring around 4m. Two structures are visible in Feb 1941 [1] behind the main slit trench, and are connected by further slit trenching which also continues 30m to the west beyond the western building. Both structures are rectangular and measure 7.5m by 5m and 6.5m by 3.75m. The eastern building is thought to be a pillbox – see record Mke39312 for more details. All the slit trenching is backfilled by August 1947 [3] and the two structures are gone by September 1962 [4].

An anti-aircraft battery is located to the south of the slit trenching, housing two guns in independent shelters. These two structures have been concealed with an earth covering. The shelters measure 15m by 10m and the overall bank measures 54m by 10m, with the structures housing each gun at either end.

By February 1941 [1] four Nissen huts surrounded by banking had been constructed approximately 100m behind the battery, and are likely to be ammunition stores. They each measure 11.5m by 4.5m. A fourth Nissen hut was added by May 1942 [2], but this one was not surrounded by banking. These features are gone by April 1950 [4]. A U-shaped slit trench, 30m long, was constructed beside the Nissen huts and is first visible in Feb 1941 [1], and has been backfilled by April 1950 [5].

Two gun pits are visible in Feb 1941 [1] with internal diameters of 3m. They are located over 200m apart. A third gun pit is first visible in May 1942 [2] and has an internal diameter of 2.2m. The gun pits are spread across the entire complex of defensive features.

By May 1942 [2] much of the area has been enclosed with barbed wire obstacles, which are removed by August 1947 [3].

These military features are probably associated with the anti-landing defences (MWX43173) located in the inter-tidal zone.

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