Alternative Names World War I And World War Ii; Stromness
Site type COASTAL BATTERY(S) (20TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 81794
Site Number HY20NW 27.00
NGR HY 2486 0796
Council ORKNEY ISLANDS
Parish STROMNESS
Former Region ORKNEY ISLANDS AREA
Former District ORKNEY
Former County ORKNEY

Canmore Mapping
View this site on a map

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Archaeological Notes

HY20NW 27.00 24859 07977 and 24886 07946

See also HY20NE 77

HY20NW 27.01 HY 24958 07739 Coast battery, 5.5-inch (WW I)
HY20NW 27.02 HY 24879 07956 Coast battery 6-inch (WW II)
HY20NW 27.03 HY 24866 07926 Coast Battery 6-inch (WW I)
HY20NW 27.04 Centred HY 24855 08067 Military camp (WW II)

A series of World War One and Two gun emplacements and magazines with a camp site.
J Guy 1993; NMRS MS 810/2; WO/192/273.

Both the 5.5-inch World War I and World War II batteries are visible on RAF vertical air photographs (CPE/Scot/UK185, 2439-2441, flown 9 October 2004) in an area on the W side of Stromness Golf course. The World War I 6-inch battery is visible on more recent aerial photography (OS 64.54, 033-034, flown 5 June 1964). The searchlights to the S on the shore are also visible on the aerial photographs and are depicted on the OS 1:10000 scale map.
Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS, August 2000)

Scheduled as Ness Battery, coast defence battery, Stromness.
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 25 October 2001.

Notes and Activities

ORKNEY SMR NOTE

Notes A series of WWI and WWII gun emplacements and magazines with associated camp site situated on the N side of Hoy Sound guarding the western entrance to Scapa Flow. In WWII 6 inch guns were housed in two massive emplacements with improvised roofs of concrete carried on a network of steel beams to protect the gunners from air attack. Behind them stand a 2 storey observation tower used to control all the western defences of the Flow. Along the shore are the remains of slightly later twin 6-pounder battery and searchlight emplacements.
Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]

Further details

Books and References

Cocroft, Devlin, Schofield and Thomas, W D, D, J, and R J C (2006) War art: murals and graffiti- military life, power and subversion, CBA Research Report 147 York
Page(s): 11

Dorman, J (1996) Orkney Coast Batteries London
Page(s): 28, 46

Hewison, W S (1985) This great harbour: Scapa Flow, Aspects of Orkney series, 3 Stromness
Page(s): 74, 185, 190, 239, 251, 278, 280, 301, 305, 361 Held at RCAHMS D.9.3.SCA

Redfern, N I (1998) Twentieth century fortifications in the United Kingdom, 5 V. V.1 Introduction and sources; V.2 Site gazetteers: Wales; V.3 Site gazetteers: Northern Ireland; V.4 & 5 Site gazetteers: Scotland York
Page(s): Vol.IV, 137-138 Held at RCAHMS F.6.9.CBA

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