One of the best surviving of the emergency batteries built around the coast in anticipation of a German invasion in 1940.
Battery Head is the wooded headland to the north of Brixham.
The headland was first used as a battery in 1586 in preparation of a prospective Spanish Invasion. It was again used in1688 when William of Orange landed in Brixham, to protect his fleet and cover the road from Paignton. It was also used during the American War of Independence when Brixham was an important victualling station for the Royal Navy, and later during the Napoleonic Wars when gun emplacements were added. Little is left of these defences apart from some boundary walls, which were part of the 1860s rebuilding programme.
In 1940, 116 emergency batteries were built around the coast of Britain. Only seven remain and Brixham is the most complete. The site was manned by around 100 soldiers from the Royal Artillery and later by the Home Guard once threat of invasion had receded. Many of the original buildings can still be seen around the headland. The headland would have been bare of trees in 1940 and many of the buildings are now hidden among the trees. A model in the museum shows their position and this picture is taken from their website. The guide book available from the museum has a map and details of the buildings. On special open days there are tours of the headland visiting many of the sites.
The Artillery Training School building is now the museum building. Soldiers were billeted in a holiday camp across the road in small beach chalets sleeping two soldiers.
There are two buildings. The smaller building is the RAF telecommunications hut. The larger building is the general museum.
The gun outside the museum is from 1890 and is described as a black powder gun that was mainly used in India.
Cont...
Battery Head is the wooded headland to the north of Brixham.
The headland was first used as a battery in 1586 in preparation of a prospective Spanish Invasion. It was again used in1688 when William of Orange landed in Brixham, to protect his fleet and cover the road from Paignton. It was also used during the American War of Independence when Brixham was an important victualling station for the Royal Navy, and later during the Napoleonic Wars when gun emplacements were added. Little is left of these defences apart from some boundary walls, which were part of the 1860s rebuilding programme.
In 1940, 116 emergency batteries were built around the coast of Britain. Only seven remain and Brixham is the most complete. The site was manned by around 100 soldiers from the Royal Artillery and later by the Home Guard once threat of invasion had receded. Many of the original buildings can still be seen around the headland. The headland would have been bare of trees in 1940 and many of the buildings are now hidden among the trees. A model in the museum shows their position and this picture is taken from their website. The guide book available from the museum has a map and details of the buildings. On special open days there are tours of the headland visiting many of the sites.
The Artillery Training School building is now the museum building. Soldiers were billeted in a holiday camp across the road in small beach chalets sleeping two soldiers.
There are two buildings. The smaller building is the RAF telecommunications hut. The larger building is the general museum.
The gun outside the museum is from 1890 and is described as a black powder gun that was mainly used in India.
Cont...
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