Monument record MDO44835 - Second World War Radar Beacon, Tarrant Monkton

A Second World War radar beacon is visible to the west of Tarrant Rushton Airfield, Tarrant Monkton, on 1940s aerial photographs. The features are recorded under NRHE Hob UID 1478933 and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

A Second World War High Frequency Direction Finding (HF/DF) station is visible as assorted structures on aerial photographs taken in 1945 but has subsequently been overlaid by agricultural buildings. The site is centred at ST 9433 0806 and comprises a triangular fenced area within which are situated (from west to east) a small circular DF tower at the intersection of a cross-hair pattern, a single hut for the crew and a square transformer plinth.

The cross-hair comprises three white lines, probably of chalk, plus one narrow bank which extends for 42m to the east, combining to make a cross-hair pattern with a small circular tower at the intersection, at ST 9429 0807. The crew hut is centred at ST 9436 0806 and the square transformer plinth, which measures circa 5m square, is centred at ST 9438 0808.

The site may have been one of three used for triangulating an aircraft's position when lost and is probably associated with RAF Tarrant Rushton, which was located 2km to the south (see ST 90 NW 128 / UID: 1430476). It may have superseded, or been superseded by, the radar beacon at Tarrant Launceston (see ST 90 NW 186 / UID: 1489455). <1>

A Second World War radar beacon is visible to the west of Tarrant Rushton Airfield, Tarrant Monkton, on 1940s aerial photographs <2-3>. The features visible on a 1944 aerial photograph comprise a cross hair pattern cut into the chalk, central to which is a circular tower or radar cone. At the southeast end of the long leg of the cross is a rectangular hut. A triangular fence or bank contains these two structures and part of the cross hair, which can be seen to extend beyond this. Also visible in 1944 is a small square walled structure just outside the triangular enclosure on its east side, possibly a stand-by set house <2>. An aerial photograph dated 1947 shows the enclosure and the main structures more clearly, although the cross hair has disappeared by this time <3>.

The features are recorded as a High Frequency Direction Finding (HF/DF) station under NRHE Hob UID 1478933 and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM project.

<1> Bishop, Sharon, 2009, Tarrant Launceston 15 & Environs. Aerial Photograph Survey & Analysis (Unpublished document). SDO12459.

<1.1> Thomas, Roger J C, Oral: Roger J C Thomas, Military Support Officer, English Heritage (York Office) (Verbal communication). SDO19183.

<1.2> Royal Air Force, 03-MAR-1945, RAF/106G/LA/194 95-96 (Aerial Photograph). SDO19290.

<2> Royal Air Force, 29-MAR-1944, RAF/NLA/80 RP 3083 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18884.

<3> Royal Air Force, 17-JAN-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1934 V 5151 (Aerial Photograph). SDO18053.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1478933 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 22 2023 4:42PM