Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Second World War coastal battery defences including two large gun emplacements, associated structures, a smaller gun pit and other structures and barbed wire in close proximity. located on the coast south of Joss Bay and mapped from military aerial photographs.

Monument Types

• BARBED WIRE ENTANGLEMENT (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• COASTAL BATTERY (Modern to Unknown - 1939 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (Modern to Unknown - 1939 AD)
• BOMB CRATER (Modern - 1942 AD to 1946 AD)

Full description

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A Second World War coastal battery, including two large gun emplacements, associated structures, a smaller gun pit and other structures and barbed wire in close proximity. The site is located on the coast south of Joss Bay and has been mapped from a selection of military aerial photographs taken in 1941, 1942 and 1946.

The coastal battery, facing out to sea from the cliff edge, comprises two earth covered structures to house individual guns, and measure around 10m in width. These gun emplacements are first visible on photographs taken in January 1941 [1]. By May 1942 [2] two small buildings have been constructed close to the gun emplacements and the battery and structures have been enclosed with barbed wire. Also apparent in January 1941 are two buildings located around 80m west of the battery along with some barbed wire, and are presumably associated. To the south of the battery there is an open square structure, which is visible in January 1941 and by May 1942 has been joined by two small buildings (both under 3m in length) and a length of barbed wire.

By April 1946 [4] all the barbed wire has been removed together with the smaller structures located beside the battery along with the square structure. The coastal battery is being dismantled in this photograph and the two structures located some way behind the battery are still visible. Just to the south of the battery a bomb crater is visible and must have occurred some time after May 1942 - see record MWX43214 for more details about the crater.

The remaining military features are all gone by April 1950 [3].

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photography exists within a GIS layer held by this HER [5].

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<5> Cornwall Council Historic Environment Projects and Gloucestershire County Council, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Components 1&2: Results of NMP Mapping (Unpublished document). SKE25954.

Sources and further reading