South Ronaldsay, Ward Hill, Chain Home Low Radar Station

ND48NE 22 centred 45511 88629

Ward Hill radar station is situated at the summit of Ward Hill. A later radio mast has been built on the site, probably on the position of the earlier mast.

Several buildings survive, most notably that of the engine house with its engine mounting block inside, immediately SW of the radio mast. There is a large brick built building to the NE within an area enclosed by an electric fence which was not visited, but is clearly a part of the radar station.

A very well preserved machine-gun position was noted at ND 4545 8856 just N of a large silage pit of which N part overlies three large concrete bases constructed next to each other at angles. At the S end of the same silage pit there is a further concrete base with two rows of metal rings attached.

Little else survives apart from heaps of brick and concrete denoting the location of further buildings now demolished and four hut bases to the SW. An OS trig point has been built on the top of a brick built building near the foot of the present radio mast.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE) August 1996.

The radar station is visible on RAF WW II vertical air photographs (WL 10, 2.9-2.11) which show all the main buildings, the track from the main road and several cable trenches. Nine Nissen huts are visible, some of which are camouflaged and at least three machine gun positions and what may be a light anti-aircraft emplacement. In the surrounding moorland are slit trenches.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), Faebruary 2005.