Monument record MDO46157 - World War Two gun emplacement, Peverel Point, Swanage

A World War II coastal gun emplacement at Peveril Point, Swanage. It was built in 1940-41 and is constructed of reinforced concrete. There is one large embrasure for a heavy gun, part of the gun mounting is still in position. A field visit in 1997 found the structure to be in a very good condition. It had been converted into a public shelter with a Coastguard lookout built on top.

Very large coastal gun emplacement. One large embrasure for heavy gun. Part of gun mounting still in position. Converted to shelter with Coastguard lookout built on top. [Digital archive - Surrey Industrial Society]. Observation Post / Gun Emplacement. S wall: Width 21ft 7ins. Iron ring in centre of wall. E wall: Width 11ft 8ins. Height 6ft 2ins from concrete seating to top + 1ft 3ins = 3 rows of stone bricks or slabs under seating. W wall: Width 11ft 11ins. Front or NE side facing sea: open except for low wall 6ft from W end to modern metal support, 8ft 2ins to second support, 6ft 6ins from support to E end, total width 20ft 8ins. Two concrete steps in centre front. Low wall from W end angled towards steps 11ft 4ins and from E end to steps 10ft. Flat surface of low concrete wall. Gun mounting foundations [?] in concrete floor 3ft 10ins x 3ft 8ins with two pieces of angle iron, behind which and embedded in concrete floor is a semi-circular piece of iron 9ins wide with iron teeth on outside or S edge. Diameter of semi-circle is 10ft 8ins. In use today as a shelter for the public. Some of the internal concrete may be post-war resurfacing. [AEW38]. Directly under coastguard station, Peveril Point, Swanage. <1-3>

Customer comment received October 2017: 'The steel linkage is nothing to do with the WW2 coast battery, it is the pivot for a 5-inch BL gun. These guns were used for practice batteries and there was a practice battery here before the WW2 battery.' <4>

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0010539 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0010539 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0010539 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1424746 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 4:53PM