Monument record MDO41240 - Wartime military training site, Canford Heath, Poole

A loose cluster of small sub-circular, sub-rectangular and crescentic earthworks on the southeast side of Canford Heath are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are considered likely to be small dug-outs, practice trenches and/or weapons pits associated with an area of probable wartime military training activity. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP project.

A loose cluster of small sub-circular, sub-rectangular and crescentic earthworks on the southeast side of Canford Heath are visible on 1940s aerial photographs (1 and 2).

The features are between 5m and 10m in size and are loosely arranged either side of a modern road across the heath (1). A set of features on the west side of the group are more closely arranged in orderly rows ; similar to a larger set of similar features to the southwest (MDO41238). These features are also clearly organised in a regular fashion that suggests a military origin. The features may be dugouts, practice trenches and/or weapons pits associated with an area of probable wartime military training activity. Many of the features are located within areas of probable post medieval surface extraction (MDO41231).

The site is still open heath on current Google Earth imagery but the features are no longer visible. They were digitally plotted by the Dorset Stour NMP.

<1> Royal Air Force, 08-MAR-45, RAF/106G/LA/163 RP 3021-2 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16052.

<2> Royal Air Force, 12-DEC-46, RAF/CPE/UK/1893 RS 4204-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16063.

Record last edited

Sep 10 2024 10:47AM