Two minor explores that don't merit reports in their own right but go together quite well given they are both near to the village of East Halton in North Lincolnshire:
East Halton WW2 Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery
1. The History
Not too much info out there on this place. This is East Halton WW2 Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery, designated Humber H24 and located to the west of the Lincolnshire village of the same name and the west of Baysgarth Farm. An ancillary camp was located to the north and west. The anti-aircraft heavy gun battery was manned by the 270th Battery of the 91st Royal Artillery Regiment in 1940. It was listed as unarmed in 1942. The site is now used by a local farmer.
The red brick building is the bath house (B2) that was used for site occupants. The small building shown on the map below (B1) had a water tower above it. The nissen hut has now collapsed. Map of the post courtesy of Rich Cooper:
E00083 Map by Rich & Les Cooper 2012, on Flickr
Key:
B1: Water tower base
B2: Bath house
CP: command post
1,2,3,4, gun batteries
2. The Explore
Easy access and relaxed mooch in the warm April-morning sun. Not too bad a place but nothing special. Having already seen the nearby Stallingborough AA battery, this place did seem a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s show. That said worth the ten-minute stroll and 20 minutes looking round it.
3. The Pictures
The water-tower base:
East Halton 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The bath house:
img0379 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0387 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0382 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0380 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Inside the bath house:
East Halton 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A now collapsed Nissen hut (pictures for 2017 show it still standing):
img0383 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No.1 emplacement – the best preserved of the four:
img0389 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0388 by HughieDW, on Flickr
East Halton 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
East Halton 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The Command Post, incredibly, for once, not flooded!
East Halton 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0396 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Didn't bother photographing No.2 and No.3 as they were pretty far gone. So on to No.4 emplacement:
img0397 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img0385 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Wilkinson and Houghton Ltd Brick and Tile Kiln
1. The History
This brick and tile kiln and associated chimney was constructed in the early 20th century for Wilkinson and Houghton Ltd. The company is listed as builders and joiners and started trading 1896. The chimney and kiln are built in red brick, with concrete buttresses to the kiln. The white brick lettering on chimney spells out the first initials of the surnames of the two firm owners. The kiln is rectangular in plan and is aligned on a NW-SE axis. The kilns are approximately 45m x 7m and rise to a height of 3m and contain 8 adjoining barrel-vaulted chambers with openings to each side. There are 8 bays with buttresses between them. The chimney tapers in two stages and rises to an elevation of 27m. The fishing pond behind the kiln was, most likely, the clay pit for the tile/brick works. The company ceased operating circa 1939. It is the largest surviving brick and tile kiln on the Humber Banks and was Grade II listed in July 1987.
2. The Explore
This chimney is visible for miles around and after the rather disappointing anti-aircraft battery visit nearby this provided more interest photographically. So more of an atmospheric wander along the banks of the Humber than an explore to be fair. The kiln is on land that is in private ownership. Also, the on-site security were present and vigilant so just took pictures from the other side of the fence.
3. The Pictures
Viewed across the fishpond at the back of the kiln:
img0400 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And looking from the Humber side:
img0408 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Close-up of the white-bricked initials:
img0407 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the entrances to the 8 barrel-vaulted chambers with two buttresses either side:
img0413 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This picture shows the positioning of the chimney relative to the kilns:
img0405 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the aforementioned on-site secca:
img0403 by HughieDW, on Flickr
WxH Chimney by HughieDW, on Flickr
East Halton WW2 Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery
1. The History
Not too much info out there on this place. This is East Halton WW2 Heavy Anti-Aircraft battery, designated Humber H24 and located to the west of the Lincolnshire village of the same name and the west of Baysgarth Farm. An ancillary camp was located to the north and west. The anti-aircraft heavy gun battery was manned by the 270th Battery of the 91st Royal Artillery Regiment in 1940. It was listed as unarmed in 1942. The site is now used by a local farmer.
The red brick building is the bath house (B2) that was used for site occupants. The small building shown on the map below (B1) had a water tower above it. The nissen hut has now collapsed. Map of the post courtesy of Rich Cooper:
Key:
B1: Water tower base
B2: Bath house
CP: command post
1,2,3,4, gun batteries
2. The Explore
Easy access and relaxed mooch in the warm April-morning sun. Not too bad a place but nothing special. Having already seen the nearby Stallingborough AA battery, this place did seem a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s show. That said worth the ten-minute stroll and 20 minutes looking round it.
3. The Pictures
The water-tower base:
The bath house:
Inside the bath house:
A now collapsed Nissen hut (pictures for 2017 show it still standing):
No.1 emplacement – the best preserved of the four:
The Command Post, incredibly, for once, not flooded!
Didn't bother photographing No.2 and No.3 as they were pretty far gone. So on to No.4 emplacement:
Wilkinson and Houghton Ltd Brick and Tile Kiln
1. The History
This brick and tile kiln and associated chimney was constructed in the early 20th century for Wilkinson and Houghton Ltd. The company is listed as builders and joiners and started trading 1896. The chimney and kiln are built in red brick, with concrete buttresses to the kiln. The white brick lettering on chimney spells out the first initials of the surnames of the two firm owners. The kiln is rectangular in plan and is aligned on a NW-SE axis. The kilns are approximately 45m x 7m and rise to a height of 3m and contain 8 adjoining barrel-vaulted chambers with openings to each side. There are 8 bays with buttresses between them. The chimney tapers in two stages and rises to an elevation of 27m. The fishing pond behind the kiln was, most likely, the clay pit for the tile/brick works. The company ceased operating circa 1939. It is the largest surviving brick and tile kiln on the Humber Banks and was Grade II listed in July 1987.
2. The Explore
This chimney is visible for miles around and after the rather disappointing anti-aircraft battery visit nearby this provided more interest photographically. So more of an atmospheric wander along the banks of the Humber than an explore to be fair. The kiln is on land that is in private ownership. Also, the on-site security were present and vigilant so just took pictures from the other side of the fence.
3. The Pictures
Viewed across the fishpond at the back of the kiln:
And looking from the Humber side:
Close-up of the white-bricked initials:
One of the entrances to the 8 barrel-vaulted chambers with two buttresses either side:
This picture shows the positioning of the chimney relative to the kilns:
And the aforementioned on-site secca:
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