Primrose Farm
Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century), Magazine(S) (20th Century), Radar Site (20th Century)
Site Name Primrose Farm
Classification Anti Aircraft Battery (20th Century), Magazine(S) (20th Century), Radar Site (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Rng2; Forth Aa Defences; Primrose
Canmore ID 84196
Site Number NT08SE 42
NGR NT 0998 8411
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/84196
- Council Fife
- Parish Dunfermline
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Dunfermline
- Former County Fife
NT08SE 42 0998 8411
Also falls on map sheet NT18SW
This anti-aircraft battery is situated to the W of Primrose. Consisting of a four gun battery, it has been demolished. A caretakers cottage is still extent along with some other remains within the area.
J Guy 1994; NMRS MS 810/3
The four emplacement battery with associated accommodation camp is visible on a post war vertical air photograph, (RAF 106G/Scot/UK 185, 3014, flown 1946). (associated accommodation camp falls on OS 1:10000 map sheet NT18SW)
Information from RCAHMS (DE), March 1999
Examination of a post-war RAF vertical air photograph (106G/Scot/UK 10, 7037, flown 15 April 1946), would suggest that this heavy anti-aircraft battery was provided with six gun-emplacements. The original four emplacements form an arc to the N of the Primrose Road, whilst an additional two were located to the W of a fence line and S of the road respectively. That to the W of the fence line is depicted on the OS 1:10000 scale map (1975) whilst the emplacement to the S of the road had been removed by the time of the survey for the map.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), January 2002
Though all evidence of the gun battery have been removed, there are still some surviving elements of the accommodation camp. The caretakers cottage (Primrose Cottage) and evidence of several other structures are visible in a field to the E of the site of the gun-emplacements.
The battery history shows that it was supplied with four 3.7-inch static guns during 1942, increased to six 3.7-inch guns plus a mobile GL Mk II radar unit between 1942 and June 1943. Set between the four original gun emplacements are three magazines. This arrangement is visible on a large scale vertical air photograph taken in 1948 (58 [A] 386, Pt.1, 5472, flown 21 May 1945).
Guns were still mounted as late as May 1945, though the documents show that by 1946 these were 'off site' (Public Record Office WO 166/11169, WO 166/16650). The battery was designated 229 then 541, and formed part of 158 Regiment and 36 Brigade.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), February 2005
