More information : Coastal battery. BOP in good condition [see UORN 9774], but all other remains have been removed. [information from 1982 aerial photographs]. Toot Hill, E of Cliff End, Pett Level. (1)
Pett Level coastal battery located at TQ 892 137. This was an emergency battery built during the Second World War as part of Eastern Command's coastal defences. The battery was operational by 1942 and mounted two 6-inch breech-loading guns. It was armed until at least May 1945. It was manned by 374 Battery of 551 Coast Regiment.
No. 1 gun emplacement was located at TQ 8910 1370 and No. 2 gun at TQ 8920 1375. The Depression Rangefinder was positioned at TQ 8915 1365. (2)
Aerial photography from 1982 shows that the Battery Observation Post remains in good condition, but all other features have been removed. (3)
A Second World War emergency coastal battery is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1942 and 1946 and a series of buildings and structures. The site is centred on TQ 89183 13762, on Toot Rock overlooking Pett Level.
The site comprises two gun emplacements with associated spoil heaps, a Bofors gun or searchlight emplacement, three Nissen huts a probable ammunition dump and a spigot mortar emplacement. The site is partially surrounded by barbed wire obstruction. The battery observation post has been separately recorded as NMR: 1424062.
The site is visible and under construction in May 1942. The central area of the battery appears to have been partially levelled off, as a pair of scarps are visible to the north and west. The barbed wire obstructions have Nissen huts have been removed on aerial photographs taken in 1971, and the eastern gun emplacement (referred to as No. 2 gun by authority 2 above) has been converted into a house, apparently in 1959. Otherwise, No.1 gun emplacement, the Bofors/searchlight and spigot mortar holdfasts are visible on aerial photographs taken in 2009. The probable ammunition store is overgrown by vegetation and is not visible (3-7).
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