Archaeology Notes

Event ID 712539

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/712539

NT18SE 27.00 18635 83806

NT18SE 27.01 NT 18642 83805 Gun-emplacement

NT18SE 27.02 NT 18636 83771, NT 18637 83761 and NT 18631 83752 Searchlight Battery

NT18SE 27.03 centred NT 18518 83726 Engine house; Huts

NT18SE 27.04 c. NT1858 8378 Spigot Mortar mounting

NT18SE 27.05 c. NT1852 8373 Anti-aircraft site

NT18SE 27.06 centred NT 1848 8381 Military camp

NT18SE 27.07 NT18626 83863 Searchlight emplacement (Lyon light)

Converted from militia camp to gun and searchlight site, 1940.

N H Clark 1986.

This concrete battery is situated to the E of the Braefoot Gas Terminal (NT18SE 23), consists of one twin 6-pounder gun emplacement, three fixed beam searchlight and Lyon light emplacements and an engine room. In addition there is one UP mounting which has used Monk's Cave (NT18SE 1) as a magazine and one spigot mortar emplacement.

The gun emplacement has now collapsed and the observation post has been demolished.

This site was an army camp before conversion to a battery.

J Guy 1994; NMRS MS 810/3; PRO WO/192/258

The coast battery is visible on a series of RAF WW II oblique aerial photographs (309E, 2231-2234, flown 6 April 1941) and on postwar RAF vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 12, Pt.1, 6075-6077, flown 15 April 1946).

The gun battery has several elements, including a 'Lyon Light' emplacement, UP fixed projectile mounting and a spigot mortar mounting.

Most of the standing structures are constructed using shuttered concrete and brick. There is damage to the gun-emplacement, the front wall has been broken through and the battery observation post has been removed.

Charles Hill Battery is documented as having a single 6-pounder gun in 1940, designated 250 Battery and manned by 504 Regiment. (PRO WO 192/251; WO 199/2627; 199/527). The battery was later provided with a twin 6-pounder gun.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), March 2005.