Zig-zag Second World War trench systems, St Nicholas at Wade. Possibly visible on 1946 aerial photographs. (1)

Traces of the course of a substantial section of Second World War trench network and associated defences are visible as cropmarks, earthworks and levelled earthworks on aerial photographs. This record includes the part of the defensive system in fields immediately south of the village centre including around the edges of Bell Meadow Recreation Ground. These features are part of the defences constructed around St Nicholas at Wade during 1940-41 forming a Defended Area.

As well as the generally linear trenches that hug field boundaries, the system included slit trenches and revetments. The southern ends of the trench network articulated with a complex barbed wire entanglement (MKE124351) and continued in an arc around the south side of the village (MKE93217). At its northern end, on ground now occupied by The Oaks, there was a revetted trench system with additional slit trenches in the earthwork bank.

The trenches have been recorded largely as cropmarks from later aerial photographs and as earthworks and levelled earthworks from a USAF flight taken in April 1944. Some features in this area are visible as upstanding earthworks in RAF photography dating to April 1946. All traces have been infilled or removed. These features were mapped as part of the Historic England Isle of Thanet project in 2024. (2-5)

<1> RAF, 1946/7, 1946/47 RAF aerial photograph run, r54photo3043 (Photograph). SKE31381.

<2> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 21-APR-2007 (Archive). SKE57110.

<3> Historic England Archive, 1944, Historic England Archive USAF vertical aerial photographs, US/7PH/GP/LOC295 V 5005 20-APR-1944 (Archive). SKE57114.

<4> Historic England Archive, 1941-1960, Historic England Archive RAF vertical aerial photographs, RAF/106G/UK/1378 FV 7089 04-APR-1946 (Archive). SKE57101.

<5> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 07-APR-2021 (Archive). SKE57110.