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South Ronaldsay, Hoxa Head, Hoxa Battery; Nos. 1 And 2 Lights
Searchlight Battery (Second World War), Searchlight Emplacement (First World War)
Site Name South Ronaldsay, Hoxa Head, Hoxa Battery; Nos. 1 And 2 Lights
Classification Searchlight Battery (Second World War), Searchlight Emplacement (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) World War I And Ii; Scapa Flow; Pentland Firth
Canmore ID 270412
Site Number ND49SW 27.06
NGR ND 40379 92535
NGR Description ND 40465 92528, ND 40379 92535 and ND 40243 92908
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/270412
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish South Ronaldsay
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
ND49SW 27.06 40465 92528, 40379 92535 and 40243 92908
Three concrete searchlight emplacements are situated on the cliff top around Hoxa Head. Two are located 61m SW and 29m SE of the World War II gun-battery (ND49SW 27.04) and the third is 67m NW of the double World War I battery (ND49SW 27.01).
The two emplacements near the World War II battery are built on to bedrock in shuttered concrete. They are rectangular in plan with a circular canopy and angular lower section. The roofs have stones cemented to them to provide camouflage. The interiors retain some of the rusted metal tracking (lower and upper), for the shutters that would have once allowed the narrowing of the light beam.
The third searchlight emplacement to the N is of a different design, having a rectangular roof in plan and is cut into the slope. The building was entered on the date of visit.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, SW), May 1996
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
Note (26 September 2013)
A Second World War searchlight battery comprising three concrete emplacements. The emplacement at ND 40380 92533 may have been constructed on the site of a First World War searchlight emplacement.
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 26 September 2013.
