Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A long stretch of Second World War anti-invasion scaffolding is visible on aerial photographs of 1942 as a structure stretching across the golf course to the north of Littlestone-on-Sea. This feature was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

Monument Types

• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BEACH DEFENCE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The anti-invasion scaffolding is centred at TR 0863 2609. It extends for a approximately 1.6km SSW to NNE from a branch of the New Romney Main Sewer in the south, to the southern edge of St Mary┬┐s Bay in the north. This line of defensive scaffolding is slightly inland from the seafront, where it is more usually found. It extends across the uneven terrain of the golf course and is contemporary with other Second World War defences, such as anti-tank cubes (Monument Number 1535062) and barbed wire (Monument Number 1535051) both adjacent to its southern end.

At roughly the midpoint, a length of single barbed wire extends at a right angle towards the beach for approximately 85m. At the southern end of the length of scaffolding; it curves around to form a right angle, and continues towards the seafront for approximately 75m along the line of the New Romney Main Sewer. Another length of scaffolding branches-off at this point, as if to form part of an enclosure. However, any possible associated structures it may have been intended to protect are not visible on the aerial photographs. A record exists for a light anti-aircraft battery at this point (Monument Number 1477736). Although the battery is not visible on vertical aerial photographs, this may be due to its temporary and transient nature and it may be that this was in fact the reason for the extra length of scaffolding.

There is additionally a separate instalment of scaffolding along the beach. This has been recorded as Monument Number 1535069. By the time of the vertical aerial photographs of 1946; the scaffolding across the golf course had been removed (1-2).

<1> RAF, 1942, NMR RAF/AC81 174-8 26-AUG-1942 (Photograph). SWX23895.

<2> RAF, 1946, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1439 3004-5 30-APR-1946 (Photograph). SWX23808.

Sources and further reading

Related records