| Summary : Ringbrough coastal artillery battery is positioned north east of East Garton on what is now the cliff edge. The three gun battery was built to perform a dual role; its primary function was a counter-bombardment battery with a secondary role of close defence battery. The battery and camp began construction in September 1941 by 193 Coast Battery and the three 6-inch guns were mounted between July-September 1942. It was fully operational by 1943. The battery comprised three 6-inch Mk. 24 guns on Mk. 5 mountings, two counter-bombardment Battery Observation Posts, one close defence Battery Observation Post, three covered gun houses, three coastal artillery searchlight emplacements, pillboxes and two domestic camps. The battery was made redundant in late 1943. |
More information : (TA 2733 3726) Coastal artillery battery.
Ringbrough coastal artillery battery is positioned north east of East Garton on what is now the cliff edge. The battery was first opened in 1941 and was intended to perform a dual role. Its primary function was to be as a counter-bombardment battery with a secondary role as a close defence battery. The battery comprised three 6" Mk24 guns on Mk 5 Mountings, three battery observation posts (BOP) to control firing, coast artillery searchlight emplacements (CASL) and pillboxes. TheNo.1 visual counter bombardment BOP was situated at Beacon Hill, south east of the main battery complex, north of this at east Newton was No. 2 counter bombardment BOP which was fitted with Radar. The final BOP No.3 was situated at Ringbrough Farm and intended to perform a close defence role.
Within the battery complex itself were several vital pieces of equipment. Important to the firing of the guns was the re-inforced concrete battery plotting room. This building, now used as a garage, contained a fire direction table(Mk 4) and a ballistic correction calculator. These allowed the target data to be converted to gun elevation and bearing. Behind each of the guns was a re-inforcedconcrete magazine which was connected to the gun pit by a sunken path, next to each pit was a crew shelter and gunstore. Three CASL's were placed on the cliff edge. The other battery buildings included three engine houses, workshops, stores, and two camps for the personnel. The battery lost its secondary close defence role in 1943, and the whole complex was abandoned in 1945 (many of the smaller buildings are described separately in more detail, see associated monuments) (1)
The site was visited by the Fortress Studies Group in 1992. They found that many of the battery buildings had been lost to coastal erosion, or were under severe threat. The gun mountings themselves have collapsed, as have the CASL emplacements, although the auxiliary buildings generally still remain. (2)
This monument and two associated minefields are visible as upstanding structures on air photographs examined as part of the Rapid Coastal Assessment Survey of the Yorkshire and Humber Estuary. The minefields are visible at TA 2739 3716 and TA 2752 3715 respectively. The first is visible as a cropmark, the second as earthworks surrounded by a barbed wire perimeter. Due to coastal erosion a conspicuous part of the monument no longer survives in situ. (3)
Coastal battery, Ringbrough. (4)
Ringbrough coastal artillery battery located at TA 274 373. This was a three gun layout counter-bombardment and close defence battery using coastal artillery weapons. The battery and camp began construction in September 1941 by 193 Coast Battery. The three 6-inch guns were mounted between July-September 1942 and it was fully operational by 1943. The battery comprised two counter-bombardment Battery Observation Posts, one close defence Battery Observation Post, three covered gun houses, three coastal artillery searchlight emplacements and two domestic camps. The battery was made redundant by late 1943. (5-6)
Only partial remains of Ringbrough Battery survive as the site has been affected by severe coastal erosion. Aerial photography from 1994 shows magazines and part of a munition tracks surviving, as does part of a Battery Observation Post at TA 264 386. One ancillary building and one pillbox remains at the site. (7)
Coastal artillery battery opened in 1941, sited on the cliff edge, with a dual role as a counter-bombardment and close defence battery. It included 3 gun positions, battery observation posts (NMR915346), searchlight emplacements (NMR915385, 915389, 915403), generator houses (NMR915366) and an earlier pillbox (AL55). The battery was abandoned in 1945. A reinforced concrete plotting room was in use as a garage in 1992; most other buildings have been lost through erosion. (8) |