Monument record MDO28770 - Possible Second World War gun emplacement, Studland

A possible Second World War gun emplacement, on Studland Heath to the south of Jerry's Point, is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1946. It has good fields of fire across Poole Harbour to the north and west and across the heath to the south and east. The emplacement was probably constructed in 1940-1 and comprises an earthwork enclosure measuring 7 metres north-south and 6.5 metres east-west. The bank is 1.5 metres wide and 1 metre high with the entrance on the south side. A field visit in 1995 found the site to be in a good condition.

A rectangular earthwork enclosure, probably a gun emplacement. The site offers good fields of fire across Poole Harbour to the N and W and across the heath to the S and E. The external measurements of the enclosure are 7m from N to S and 6.5m E to W. The bank is 1.5m wide and 1m high with the entrance on the S side. Studland Heath, Corfe Castle Estate, Studland. <2>

A possible Second World War gun emplacement is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs of 1946 to the south of Jerry's Point. The possible gun emplacement is visible as a sub-rectangular banked enclosure with an internal measurement of 6 m by 4 m <1>. This site is not visible on the the most recent comprehensive aerial photographic coverage available to the project <4>. The earthwork may be the gun emplacement referred to in the English Heritage Archive record NRHE 1422091, which is given the location SZ 0280 8590. A bomb crater was recorded at that location during this project (see MDO28680). This site was digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset).

<1> Royal Air Force, 04-NOV-1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1821 6385-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12668.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0007710 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0007710 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Channel Coastal Observatory, 20-JUL-2008, CCO Aerial Photographic Coverage 2008 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12674.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1422091 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 21 2023 3:41PM