Monument record TR 37 SE 1127 - COASTAL BATTERY

E of Margate.Kingsgate Battery - 4in quick-firing (QF) guns.

Kingsgate Battery - 4in quick-firing (QF) guns. E of Margate. (1)

The original NGR given in the DoB database conflicted with the NGR given in the CBA gazetteer of Coastal Artillery sites. However, the latter gives an NGR well to the South of Kingsgate. The current location is a best estimate of the battery's location. (2)

Kingsgate coastal battery located at TR 4010 6920. This was an emergency battery built during the Second World War as part of Eastern Command's coastal defences. The battery mounted two 4-inch guns in 1940, but these had been removed by 1942. It was manned by 410 Coast Battery Royal Artillery and later by 408 Battery of 549 Coast Regiment.
The gun emplacements were located at TR 4010 6920 and the Barr and Stroud rangefinder at TR 4005 6920.

Aerial photography from 1979 shows that the site is occupied by housing and no features of the battery remain.

The alternative location for this battery, south of the DoB NGR at Hope Point has also been suggested by Mr J A Guy as the site of the Kingsgate battery and he suggests that one of the holdsfasts is now on the beach below due to erosion of the cliff. Alternative NGR TR 40122 69173. He also states that the 4 inch guns were removed when the Navy requested their return for use to arm merchant ships and other vessels. These were replaced by 4, 5.5 inch guns, but at a different site - Joss Bay Battery. (3)

Aerial photography from 1979 shows that the site is occupied by housing and no features of the battery remain. (4)

The alternative location for this battery, south of the DoB NGR at Hope Point has also been suggested by Mr J A Guy as the site of the Kingsgate battery and he suggests that one of the holdsfasts is now on the beach below due to erosion of the cliff. Alternative NGR TR 40122 69173. He also states that the 4 inch guns were removed when the Navy requested their return for use to arm merchant ships and other vessels. These were replaced by 4, 5.5 inch guns, but at a different site - Joss Bay Battery. (5

<1> Bennett, D., 1977, A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 (Monograph). SKE7811.

<2> National Monuments Record, 2006, NMR Recording (Miscellaneous Material). SKE58994.

<3> John A. Guy, 2013-, Verbal communication from John Guy, defence expert working in the Dover area (Verbal communication). SKE24831.

<4> ?, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two Coastal Batteries (Unspecified Type). SWX23712.

<5> Council for British Archaeology, 2002, Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). SKE32029.