Visited with 2 Non-Members
While staying in nearby Wareham for my sister's 18th we decided to visit the nearby Arne Nature Reserve, I was looking at Google Maps of the reserve and I noticed 4 "ring" like structures and a building located just behind the village of Arne. After a little research I found out they are old gun emplacements and decided to see them.
History:
Operational from 1940 to 1944 and manned by 328 Battalion from 104th Royal Artillery Regiment, the battery protected the nearby Holton Heath Cordite Factory from air attacks in WW2. Originally the site had two 3 inch gun emplacements but in 1941 two more emplacements were built and four 3.7 Inch AA guns were fitted. This battery is part of a group of five similar ones, three (including this one) were situated on the Arne Peninsular and the two others were on the North West and North East sides of the Holton Heath Cordite Factory. This is the only one which survives to this day out of the group of five. The site consists of four gun emplacements arranged in a semi-circle around a central command centre, a (water?) tank resides on the North side of the site.
Access was super easy as a member of staff from RSPB Arne told us exactly where it was, as well as a friendly land owner asking if we wanted the two gates to access the site to be unlocked and even gave us directions to where the battery was!
Standing on top of the water tank facing the site. The metal lid on the tank was possible to lift but for obvious reasons I didn't go in.
In the middle of some of the emplacements you could still see the old iron mounts and runner tracks for the guns.
Inside one of the ammunition stores was a rusted locker on the floor. In one of the other ammunition stores was a single bat dangling off the roof, it somehow didn't wake up even though I was shining my torch and taking pictures below it.
On the roof of the command centre.
Peering inside the plotting room of the command centre through a window. The water only looked about ankle deep but I didn't want to get wet feet as this was the only day I didn't bring wellies stupidly.
There were four other rooms but they mostly looked the same but smaller.
A quick but nice explore to end the day, the place had quite an eerie but peaceful vibe and was well worth the visit.
Thanks for reading
While staying in nearby Wareham for my sister's 18th we decided to visit the nearby Arne Nature Reserve, I was looking at Google Maps of the reserve and I noticed 4 "ring" like structures and a building located just behind the village of Arne. After a little research I found out they are old gun emplacements and decided to see them.
History:
Operational from 1940 to 1944 and manned by 328 Battalion from 104th Royal Artillery Regiment, the battery protected the nearby Holton Heath Cordite Factory from air attacks in WW2. Originally the site had two 3 inch gun emplacements but in 1941 two more emplacements were built and four 3.7 Inch AA guns were fitted. This battery is part of a group of five similar ones, three (including this one) were situated on the Arne Peninsular and the two others were on the North West and North East sides of the Holton Heath Cordite Factory. This is the only one which survives to this day out of the group of five. The site consists of four gun emplacements arranged in a semi-circle around a central command centre, a (water?) tank resides on the North side of the site.
Access was super easy as a member of staff from RSPB Arne told us exactly where it was, as well as a friendly land owner asking if we wanted the two gates to access the site to be unlocked and even gave us directions to where the battery was!
Standing on top of the water tank facing the site. The metal lid on the tank was possible to lift but for obvious reasons I didn't go in.
In the middle of some of the emplacements you could still see the old iron mounts and runner tracks for the guns.
Inside one of the ammunition stores was a rusted locker on the floor. In one of the other ammunition stores was a single bat dangling off the roof, it somehow didn't wake up even though I was shining my torch and taking pictures below it.
On the roof of the command centre.
Peering inside the plotting room of the command centre through a window. The water only looked about ankle deep but I didn't want to get wet feet as this was the only day I didn't bring wellies stupidly.
There were four other rooms but they mostly looked the same but smaller.
A quick but nice explore to end the day, the place had quite an eerie but peaceful vibe and was well worth the visit.
Thanks for reading
