Trenches forming part of a Defence Work of possible First World War date were visible as cropmarks in NMR 2134/1094 26-APR-1983. The fragments of trenches were located just to the north-west of a semi-sunken hangar on Manston Road on the north side of RAF Manston. Their crenellated plan form suggests a First World War date and it is clear from inter-war period aerial photographs on display in the RAF Manston History Museum that short lengths of slit trench were dug in places around the airfield at various times. They may have been practice trenches.

However, similar crenellated plan form trenches were used early in the Second World War in the St Nicholas at Wade Defended Area and for communications between St Nicholas at Wade and Monkton/Minster. This may indicate that the trenches in this Defence Work also date to an early period in the Second World War and may be part of a more extensive trench network in this area (MKE124488/TR 36 NW 1389).

These features were mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (1)

<1> Historic England Archive, 1920-2024, Historic England Archive Specialist oblique aerial photographs, NMR 2134/1094 26-APR-1983 (Archive). SKE57106.