Kincraig Battery

A field survey was undertaken of the Kincraig Battery and Camp by HES Archaeological Survey (J. M. Hepher, A. T. Welfare, A. K. Kilpatrick. P. M. Bethune), 6-10 November 2023

NT49NE 44.00 centred 4673 9991

NT49NE 44.01 NT 46597 99758 Radar Site

NT49NE 44.02 NT 46725 99909, NT 46820 99911 and NT 46862 99961 Gun-emplacements

NT49NE 44.03 NT 46790 99958 Observation post (Battery OP)

NT49NE 44.04 c. NT 4697 9993 Searchlight platform

NT49NE 44.05 Centred NO 4677 0004 Military camp

NT49NE 44.06 NO 47156 00026 Observation Post

NT49NE 44.07 NT 46555 99723 Searchlight Platform

Battery may have been proposed, and not implemented.

N H Clark 1986

This coast battery, constructed in brick and concrete, is situated to the S of Kincraig Hill, overlooking Macduff's Cave (NT49NE 1).

A World War Two medium calibre battery consisting of two 6-inch Mk VII/II guns which were installed in 1939 and replaced in 1942 by Mk VII/v guns. The battery was again altered in 1943 with the earlier 6-inch guns being replaced by three 6-inch Mk XXIV/v guns, these being removed in 1956.

In addition, a radar observation post (NT49NE 44.01, NT 4660 9975), searchlight emplacement and a battery observation post survive.

J Guy 1994; NMRS MS 810/3; PRO WO/192/255

Site recorded by Maritime Fife during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, Kincardine to Fife Ness 1996

This coast battery is visible on vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 4, Part II, 6165-7, flown 14 April 1946) which show that there are three large gun emplacements (also depicted on the OS 1:10000 scale map (1987), two with guns still mounted with a battery observation tower. Immediately to the N (and upslope) is the accommodation camp with the electricity power house and magazine. All buildings are roofed on the photographs. In addition, a communications trench is visible to the rear of the gun emplacements and observation tower. Also visible is the perimeter fence which surrounds this military installation.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), September 2002.

The gun battery overlooks the Firth of Forth and is situated on Kincraig Hill.

Most of the structures have either been demolished or reduced to a pile of rubble. The three large gun emplacements, numbered from W to E 1-3 (NT49NE 44.02), retain their gun pits and holdfasts, but the associated superstructure has been deliberately collapsed and is now reduced to a pile of concrete and brick. Other surviving buildings, notably the Obsevration Tower (NT49NE 44.03) have been reduced to piles of either brick or concrete, but the accommodation camp has been almost totally removed with only a few hut bases remaining in the area. A BPR Observation Post still stands to roof height at NO 47156 00026, the walls having several loopholes. At c.NT 4705 0000 is a small holdfast which straddles the Fife Coastal path, the bolts still visible trodden into the earth. This small holdfast may have been for a light anti-aircraft gun or UP mounting (unrotating fixed projectile).

The radar site (NT49NE 44.01) survives relatively intact, the radar observation post and transmitter/receiver (Tx/Rx) block retains the roof, with entrances at the N and S of the building. A small engine room survives at the N end of the building along with two single storey concrete structures with entrances at their S end (NT 46550 99782 and NT 46602 99802), 46m NW and 43m N of the main Tx/Rx building. The 1946 vertical air photographs (ibid) show that there was a roof mounted aerial.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE), 16 May 2007