Monument record MDO19665 - Oil fuel tank farm at The Mere, Portland

Oil fuel tank farm for Royal Navy, erected at The Mere in 1905. 22 tanks shown on 1960 map. Some since removed. The fuel depot was in use during the Second World War and is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s. The fuel store is part of HMS Sereptia, a Royal Navy seaplane base.

A World War II fuel depot. It is located at the Isle of Portland Mere Oil Fuel Depot in a bad condition. <1-3>

Oil fuel tank farm for Royal Navy, erected at The Mere in 1905. <4>

Outline of site marked in 1927. <5>

22 tanks shown on 1960 map <6>. Some since removed and part of site redeveloped by 2007.

The fuel depot was in use during the Second World War and is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s <7-8>. The fuel store is part of HMS Sereptia, a Royal Navy seaplane base. 22 fuel tanks are visible within the complex, which also includes a jetty and ancillary buildings. The complex covers an area measuring approximately 890 m by 500 m. This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, 2569 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, 2569 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, 2569 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Morris, S, 1985 , Portland, An Illustrated History. (Monograph). SWX8084.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1929, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, sheet LVIII.7 (Map). SDO10336.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1960, Ordnance Survey 1:25000 second series, sheet SY67/77 (Map). SDO10354.

<7> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 1409-10 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13060.

<8> Royal Air Force, 13-APR-1946, RAF 106G/UK/1411 4041-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO13058.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1413239 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 30 2024 10:58AM