Monument record TR 26 NW 1247 - Coastal Defence/chain Home Low Station M71

A temporary Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low station located at Bishopstone (TR 213 688), called site M71. Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low (CD/CHL) radar stations were operated by the British Army to detect shipping and aircraft. CD/CHL sites comprised either a Nissen hut or brick/concrete operations block with an aerial gantry mounted on the roof and a separate standby set house for the reserve power. Staff were billeted where possible, but some stations had a small layout of domestic hutting situated within one mile of the site. The station at Bishopstone was constructed in May 1941. It is not clear whether the station was actually equipped with radar or prepared to receive them. (1)

Aerial photography from 1964 shows that the site is used for agricultural use. A curviform building is located to the south at a caravan park. This could have originally been associated with the station. (2)

<1> Dobinson, C, 2000, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and radar: England's early warning systems 1915-1945 (Bibliographic reference). SWX23709.

<2> Anderton, Michael J., 2000, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations (Bibliographic reference). SWX22107.