Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A possible WWII PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean) pumping station is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as extant buildings and structures to the south of the houses named Sunnyside and Peacehaven at Dungeness. These features were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the South East RCZAS NMP project.

Monument Types

• PUMP HOUSE (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

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The site is centred at TR 0930 1726, and is extends across an area measuring approximately 107m north to south and 65m east to west. This possible WWII PLUTO site consists of a rectangular building which would have housed the pumping station; a large cylindrical storage tank; and a large pit. The pump house was disguised as a chapel, and after the war served exactly this purpose. It is now known as The Sanctuary; a chapel which forms part of the Romney Deanery (1). Other nearby buildings may have also formed a part of the pumping station, although this is not apparent from the aerial photographs.

The exact function of the cylindrical tower or tank is not known, but it is thought to be a part of the PLUTO site due to the fact that the two other possible PLUTO pumping stations nearby also have identical towers (and pits) adjacent to them (Monument Numbers 1533384, 1533740). It measures approximately 15m in diameter. It may have been a storage tank for the fuel powering the pumping station generators; or it may have been a storage or header tank for the pipeline; ensuring a continual supply of fuel to the pumping station.

An oval pit measuring approximately 30m north to south, and 17m east to west is visible on the aerial photographs just to the north-east of the cylindrical storage tank. The purpose of this pit is not clear, although it is thought it may have been associated with the storage tank due to its proximity and contemporaneity, as well as the fact that identical storage tanks at the other two possible PLUTO sites nearby also have similar pits associated with them. Perhaps gravel was extracted from these pits for construction of the foundations of the storage tanks, although this is just speculation.

By the time of vertical aerial photographs of 1962; the cylindrical storage tank had been removed, and the pit had been infilled. The rectangular pumping station building remains to this day, as mentioned above (1-4).

<1> http://romneydeanery.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=81 (Website). SWX23986.

<2> http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/449509 (Website). SWX23988.

<3> RAF, 1942, NMR RAF/FNO/25 6038-6039 26-JUN-1942 (Photograph). SWX23910.

<4> 1962, NMR MAL/62513 98005-6 11-APR-1962 (Photograph). SWX23772.

Sources and further reading

Related records