Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A long line of large round pits is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946. The pits are located just to the north of Lade, along a pre-existing path marked on the 1897 map of the area. They may have been the post-holes for a boundary fence, possibly relating to the PLUTO WWII military site to the north (Monument Number 1533740). The possible post holes are not visible on earlier photographs of 1942, and are therefore thought to relate to WWII military activity in the area. These features have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY MARKER (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• POST HOLE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The line of pits is centred at TR 0813 2092, and is visible for approximately 382m south-west to north-east from the now-dismantled Lydd and New Romney Branch Railway (Monument Number 462811), up to the former site of the Jolly Fisherman public house, which is now occupied by numbers 27 and 29 Leonard Road. The path and line of pits then runs NNW for approximately 127m, which takes it to the site of a WWII PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean) pumping station (Monument Number 1533740). The line of pits continues to the south-west on the other side of the Lydd and New Romney Branch Railway, but has not been mapped as part of this project as it falls outside the project boundary.

The pits are roughly circular in plan view, and measure between 1.5 to 2.5m in diameter. They are slightly irregularly spaced, with 2 to 3m between the pits. It is thought that the pre-existing path may have been chosen as a location for a possible perimeter or boundary fence, as it provided a convenient level course through the shingle dunes. The pits are an unusually large size for postholes, but it is possible that the loose substrate of the shingle dunes may have necessitated a large concrete footing for each post. This is however, far from being a certain interpretation and other possibilities should be considered.

It is thought unlikely that the line of pits would have originally held mines, as a single line of explosives would be an unusual and probably ineffective barrier in the event of invasion. The other possibility considered is that the pits may have contained footings for some kind of track leading from the now-dismantled railway; perhaps to bring in the equipment for the PLUTO pumping station. However, there is no firm evidence for this, and in any case the line of pits continues on the other side of the railway.

The pits were still visible as extant earthworks on vertical aerial photographs of 1983 (1-4).

<1> 1946, NMR CPE/UK/1752 3002-3 21-SEPT-1946 (Photograph). SWX23759.

<2> RAF, 1942, NMR RAF/AC81 194-5 26-AUG-1942 (Photograph). SWX23899.

<3> Vertical aerial photograph reference number (Unspecified Type). SWX23777.

<4> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) (Unspecified Type). SWX23644.

Sources and further reading

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