Archaeology Notes

Event ID 763330

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/763330

HZ27SW 217 centred 2092 7340

This is a low level , early warning radar system dating from the early 1940s.

Inormation from RCAHMS (GJD, DE) November 1987 & February 1997

NMRS MS/744/183

The monument comprises the remains of a World War 2 radar station on Ward Hill, the highest point of Fair Isle.

The remains consist of a range of concrete constructions, some reduced to their lower wall courses, with a small umber of minor structures of stone and turf construction. There are four main groupings of structures:

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 23 December 1996.

The Radar Stations are visible on RAF WW II vertical air photographs (WL 10, 1 104-1 105, flown 4 July 1942), which shows the Transmitter/Receiver (Tx/Rx) block , masts, huts and ancilliary structures. Also visible on the photographs are what may be at least three light anti-aircraft positions and one machine gun post.

The buildings seen on the photographs can be matched to the structures depicted on the current OS digital maps.

The radar station was set up as a coast defence anti-U-boat installation. Opened in 1941 and closed in1945.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), March 2006