Site of late 18th century signal house near New Burwood, Foulness Island (EHER 46885)

Now destroyed. One of a line of coastal signal stations established by the Admiralty in 1794. This one was demolished in the late 19th century. It was one of two semaphore stations on Foulness Island, see also EHER 34995).

A line of coastal signal stations was established by the Admiralty in 1794 comprising 28 stations from North Foreland (near Margate in north-east Kent) to Lands End. In 1795 the line was extended to Great Yarmouth and subsequently on to cover most of the country's coastline. The signalling equipment comprised of a fifty foot mast with a thirty foot top mast and a thirty foot crossyard from which could be displayed from ten hoists 145 different combinations of a red flag, a blue pendant and four black balls. During the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815, there were two semaphore bases on Foulness (see also EHER 34995). The second house, here at Burwood, was pulled down in the late 19th century. A detachment of the 'Rochford Hundred Volunteer' manned the signal stations. They were billeted in a public house situated at Church End. The houses themselves were occupied by an officer (a lieutenant). The living accommodation consisted of two bedrooms, a dining room, a living room, a kitchen and an office. At the end of the war the signal stations were closed and it is suggested that the coastguard took them over although there is no evidence to suggest this on Foulness. The Signal Houses on Foulness were let to labourers on local farms. The public house became the Parish Property / Workhouse in around 1825 and remained so for almost a century. <1> <2> NRHE data transfer: A signal station dating to the Napoleonic wars existed at Burwood, it was demolished in the late 19th century. <3> The OS sheet TR 09 SW shows two "Burwood" place names: Great Burwood Farm at TR 0005 9100 at New Burwood Farm at TR 0010 9030. <4>