It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.
Monument record TQ 67 SE 89 - Second World War searchlight battery, formerly interpreted as a Bronze Age settlement
Summary
A WW2 searchlight installation visible as two adjacent curvilinear embanked enclosures with diameters of c.12.5m. Both have two opposing entrances and a slight outer ditch. The north-easterly enclosure had a slight central mound about 1m across which is thought to be the sound locator. This emplacement also had an embanked entrance sith offset banks (perhaps sandbags) creating a zig-zag entrance to the NE for emergency air raid protection. The southern enclosure housed the searchlight. Both were seen surviving as earthworks on aerial photographs teken in 1950, but were subsequently levelled and visible as a cropmark , appearing as two incomplete ditched curvilinear enclosures with no trace of an inner bank. Immediately to the south of the searchlight emplacement was a single weapons pit for a LAMG (Light Anti-aircraft macine gun) to protect the searchlight. These were mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.
Location
Grid reference | TQ 6691 7360 (point) FCE |
---|---|
Map sheet | TQ67SE |
Civil Parish | GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT |
County | KENT |
District | GRAVESHAM, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
<1> AP's (RAF 58/501 F5101 (10-06-50) ) (OS Card Reference). SKE34278.
<2> The Classification of cropmarks in Kent: A Report for MPP. RCHM APU (July 1989), list 27. (OS Card Reference). SKE50290.
<3> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9431.
<4> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9434.
<5> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9435.
<6> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10016.
<7> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10017.
Sources/Archives (7)
- <1>XY SKE34278 OS Card Reference: AP's (RAF 58/501 F5101 (10-06-50) ). [Mapped feature: #16650 Battery, ]
- <2> SKE50290 OS Card Reference: The Classification of cropmarks in Kent: A Report for MPP. RCHM APU (July 1989), list 27..
- <3> SWX9431 Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4101. print.
- <4> SWX9434 Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4121. print.
- <5> SWX9435 Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4123. print.
- <6> SWX10016 Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4019. print.
- <7> SWX10017 Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4021. print.
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- Non-Intrusive Event: English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project NMP (EKE20812)
- Non-Intrusive Event: RCHME: Kent Mapping Project (EKE20439)
Record last edited
Jun 23 2021 2:37PM