Gosford Sands

NT47NW 44 NTc.4439 7765 to NT c.4438 7779

See also NT47NW 50.

NT47NW 44.01 NT c. 4429 7782 Spigot Mortar Mounting

A series of large reinforced concrete anti-tank blocks are set just above the high water mark at the picnic area surrounding Ferny Ness. In three rows, many are being eroded by the action of the sea. Further blocks are noted around Gosford Bay to the NE, and near Hareston Wood (NT 447 793).

Visited by RCAHMS (DE) April 1996

Site recorded during a rapid coastal survey undertaken by GUARD of the S shore of the Firth of Forth from Dunbar to Stirling and along the N shore of the Forth to the Fife border. A gazetteer of all sites including listed buildings, designed landscapes, scheduled and unscheduled monuments was produced. Full details of the survey can be consulted in the report held by the NMRS.

NT 446 794 WW2 defences

NT 4475 7926-NT 7965 WW2 defences

NT 439 769-NT 449 789 WW2 defences

NT 440 775 WW2 defences

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

GUARD 1996

On Ferny Ness headland a double row of concrete blocks running south to Longniddry. The blocks are set corner to corner and are of cast concrete with a corrugated finish.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 22nd February 1996.

A double row of concrete anti-tank blocks stand on the rocky foreshore in front of Green Craig Hotel. The blocks are 1.50m high and 1.20m square and have a corrugated finish, many are badly eroded and the finish has worn of to expose a rough concrete with large angular inclusions. The blocks run for approximately 120m on the shore and continue on the other side of the stone boundary wall in the woods.

Double row of WW2 anti-tank blocks along coastal road observed from 1946 aerial photographs. B108 5233-6, 15/4/46.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 20th February 1996.

Two lengths of concrete anti-tank blocks, at Ferny Ness and Harestanes Wood, alternating between single and double lines (increasing to three occasionally). Some of the blocks near Harestanes Wood still exhibit traces of camouflage.

J A Guy 1997; NMRS MS 810/5, 131, 134-6, 138

A visit to this group of anti-tank blocks in January 2002 confirms the above reports. In addition, the blocks are visible on several post-war RAF vertical air photograph sorties (106G/Scot/UK 14, 5354-5, flown 15 Aprl 1946; 106G/Scot/UK 20, 5234-5, flown 15 April 1946) running in a NE direction between the A198 road and the high water mark.

The blocks survive intact around Ferny Ness to a point at NT 4439 7780 where there is a sea wall and the post-war air photographs show that there never were any built between this location and NT 4450 7758, presumably because the sea wall formed an anti-landing obstacle. The blocks were then continuous to Craigielaw Point (NT4460 8000). On the section bounding Gosford Sands many of the blocks have now been pulled over, pulled out or moved on to their side to assist in the reduction of coastal erosion.

The section within Hareston Wood (NT4493 7894 to NT 4472 7933) is a single line of blocks which have been erected using four different kinds of shuttering. Corrugated iron, wood placed horizontally, wood placed vertically and large wood panels. Camouflage on some blocks was also noted and one has been pulled out to allow a drainage ditch to flow more freely, the displaced block now lies some 12m to the SW.

Information from RCAHMS (D Easton), January 2002