Monument record MDO45941 - Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low radar station M91, Ballard Down, Studland
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Summary
The site of a temporary Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low (CD/CHL) radar station at Ballard Down. It was built by the British Army to monitor shipping and aircraft during the Second World War. CD/CHL sites opened from 1941 and comprised either a Nissen hut or brick/concrete operations block with an aerial gantry mounted on the roof and a separate standby set house for the reserve power. It is unclear whether the station was actually fitted with radar or was an undeveloped site. There is no evidence of the station in air photographs from 1961.
Map
Type and Period (3)
Full Description
RADAR STATION. National Trust Archaeological Site Monitoring Surveillance Report, with 3 photographs and site plan. Recorder- National Trust & H. & D. Goodson. <1>
A temporary Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low station located at Ballard Down (SZ 044 813), called site M91. Coastal Defence/Chain Home Low (CD/CHL) radar stations were operated by the British Army to detect shipping and aircraft. CD/CHL sites opened from 1941 and comprised either a Nissen hut or brick/concrete operations block with an aerial gantry mounted on the roof and a separate standby set house for the reserve power. Staff were billeted where possible, but some stations had a small layout of domestic hutting situated within one mile of the site. <2>
Aerial photography from 1961 shows that the site is used for agricultural use and there is no surviving evidence of the radar station. <3>
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SWX5 Digital archive: Council for British Archaeology. 1995. Defence of Britain Project. 2644.
- <2> SDO12579 Monograph: Dobinson, C S. 1996. Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 7. Acoustics and Radar: England's early warning systems 1915-45. 169.
- <3> SDO18992 Unpublished document: Anderton, Michael J. 2000. Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two radar stations. 64.
- <4> SDO17227 Excavation archive: Council for British Archaeology. 2006. Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01. 2644.
- <5>XY SDO14739 Digital archive: National Record of the Historic Environment. 1413314. [Mapped feature: #635519 ]
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
Location
| Grid reference | SZ 0442 8136 (point) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | SZ08SW |
| Civil Parish | Studland; Dorset |
| Unitary Authority | Dorset |
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Other Statuses/References
- Defence of Britain database: 2644
- Legacy UID: National Monuments Record: SZ 08 SW 123
- Legacy UID: National Record of the Historic Environment: 1413314
Record last edited
Mar 21 2023 9:12AM