Disclaimer

Disclaimer

All exploration of mines, caves and many other underground features as well as aboveground should only be undertaken be people who know what there doing.
I do not encourage anyone to visit the abandoned places iv explored, in some cases there is a danger of serious injury and or death!

Monday 20 January 2014

Lydden Spout Battery, Deep Shelter, Dover

A complex of tunnels that lies abandoned near Dover, used in WW2 as accommodation for the gun crew at the battery. IKS Production 2008 SubBrit Info: Lydden Spout Battery is one of a number of coastal batteries established during WW2 along the Kent Coast. It was built in 1941 and manned by men of 520 Coastal Regiment Royal Artillery. The battery was located on the south side of a dead end minor road running west from Dover (now the A20) and in April 1941 was armed with three 6" Mk. VII naval guns on Mk. V mountings. These were later changed to Mk. XXIV guns on Mk. V mountings. They were 45 degree high angle guns giving then a longer range and they fired a 102lb shell a maximum of 24,550 yards on a full charge. The battery is identical to Fan Bay Battery on the east side of Dover. Although initially little appears visible as most of the buildings have been demolished most of the underground features are still intact. The three emplacements are still extant although they have been infilled with only the concrete surrounding them visible. The three magazines serving the emplacements are still accessible with care as is the deep level shelter. The most prominent features are two single storey brick buildings beside a public footpath on the south side of the A20. The smaller of the two buildings, closer to the A20, was the Warrant Officer's and Sergeants' Mess. This is a rectangular brick building with an extension on one end with an entrance porch and a ladder up to the roof on the wall alongside. The second larger building is roughly 'T' shaped; this was the dining room and cookhouse. Both buildings have been completely stripped of all fixtures and fittings including windows and doors and are now used as cattle sheds. All other buildings on the site have been demolished although some footings are visible as are the roads. Just past the dining room on the opposite side of the camp road there is a large earth covered mound. Beneath this is the underground battery plotting room and command post. The main entrance block was demolished in the 1960's although the backfilled access shaft is still visible on top of the mound. At the southern end of the mound is the emergency escape shaft with a hinged metal hatch. This was sealed with concrete in the 1960's but was re-opened in March 2003 giving access to the well preserved plotting room below. NEW 2014! indepth look at the tunnels with two cameras: Lydden Spout Deep Shelter (Historic Document)

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