Monument record MDO7989 - Admiralty signal station, Round Down, Swanage

(SZ 02507717) Signal (NAT) <1>

(SZ 02507717) Telegraph (remains of) (NAT) <3>

SZ 025771. Remains of a signal station lying on the crest of a ridge consist of an irregular walled enclosure, about 180 feet x 75 feet and containing stone foundations of five small buildings; a sixth abutting to the outside of the wall at the north west corner. The central site comprises a shallow rectangular depression about 21ft x 18ft with indications of an entrance at the north west corner. The site is marked 'Signal' on OS 1" 1811 and visibility is good out to sea but limited inland. <4>

The site may be an Admiralty Coast Signal post, a series of which were first established along the south and east coasts of England between Land's End and Yarmouth (Norfolk) in 1794-5. They were intended to communicate with men-of-war in the offing by means of a system of balls and flags. <5>

It is marked as a telegraph on a chart of 1909. <2>

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1807, Ordnance Survey 2 Drawing 1805-7 No 66E (Map). SWX3294.

<2> Evans, E, 1909, Swanage Bay (Chart). SWX8809.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1929 (Map). SWX1540.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 297, No 80, Plan (Monograph). SDO149.

‘a(80) Signal Station, remains of (025771; Fig. opposite), lie on the crest of the ridge above the strip fields of (79a). An irregular walled enclosure, about 180 ft. by 75 ft., contains stone foundations of five small buildings, a sixth building butting on to the outside of the wall at the N.W. corner. The central site, a shallow rectangular depression about 21 ft. by 18 ft. with indications of an entrance at the N.W. corner, is probably that of the building used for signalling. The site is marked 'Signal' on O.S. 1 in. map, 1811. Visibility from it is limited inland, but good out to sea.’

<5> Wilson, G, 1976, The Old Telegraphs, 64-67 (Monograph). SWX8165.

<6> Papworth, M D J, Trust for Wessex Archaeology, 1983, Isle of Purbeck Survey, IOP 296 (Index). SDO147.

The site lies on rough grassland colonized by low shrubs. OS SZ07NW22.
7/7/C TWA/IOP/1985

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/093 RCHME Inventory: Dorset II (South-East) (Unpublished document). SDO17434.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457476 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 15 2023 2:25PM