Site of mid 20th century military camp or weapons testing site, Atomic Weapons Research Establishment Foulness, Foulness Island (EHER 82608)

One of three areas of disturbed ground and groups of mid-twentieth century military building, including curved asbestos huts as well as other structures, which are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. They are located on the western side of Foulness Island in an area owned by the government and used during World War II by the Armament Research Department and subsequently by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (EHER 46720). It is likely that the site relates to World War II activity on Foulness Island, possibly associated with defence during the war and/or immediate post war explosives testing. The site may therefore have provided accommodation as well as storage and/or an ad-hoc testing area. The three areas are linked to together by tracks that run between the sites linking them to Churchend Road as well as the 1940s temporary access road (EHER 82607) which links Churchend Rd with Smallgains (EHER 82600). All structures appear to have been cleared and the area reverted to pasture during the construction of the buildings and infrastructure associated with the former AWRE. However, a small building can be seen on 1950s and subsequent photos at the location of the middle of the three sites described above but it seems more likely that it relates to later AWRE activity.

NRHE data transfer: Three areas of disturbed ground and groups of mid-twentieth century military building, including curved asbestos huts as well as other structures, are visible on 1940s aerial photographs. They are located on the western side of Foulness Island in an area owned by the government and used during World War II by the Armament Research Department and subsequently by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (EHER 46720). It is likely that the site relates to World War II activity on Foulness Island, possibly associated with defence during the war and/or immediate post-war explosives testing. The site may therefore have provided accommodation as well as storage and/or an ad-hoc testing area. The three areas are linked to together by tracks that run between the sites linking them to Churchend Road as well as the 1940s temporary access road (EHER 82607) which links Churchend Rd with Smallgains (EHER 82600). A single building and an area of disturbed ground flank the track where it meets the 1940s temporary access road (EHER 82606). The site is centred at TQ 9902 9117 and extends over an area measuring 40m by 16m. It is possible that this may once have controlled access to the other, much larger site, to the south. Approximately 115m to the south (of EHER 82606) is a larger area, measuring approximately 145m by 70m and centred at TQ 9893 9105. The site comprises a number of different building types suggesting that it may have been more permanent and/or had more complex use than other areas of disturbed situated to the west (EHER 82600 - EHER 82606). Approximately 135m to the south east, adjacent to Churchend Road, is a further large area of disturbed ground with seven buildings of varying sizes and design. It is centred at TQ 9913 9088 and extends over an area measuring 134m by 38m. (See EHER 82609). All structures appear to have been cleared and the area reverted to pasture during the construction of the buildings and infrastructure associated with the former AWRE. However, a small building can be seen on 1950s and subsequent photos at the location of the middle of the three sites described above but it seems more likely that it relates to later AWRE activity. <1> <2> <3> See also <4>. Note: The original NRHE record for this site included information on all three areas of disturbed ground. This HER record pertains only to the second described site (centred AT TQ 9893 9105) and should be considered alongside EHER 82606 and EHER 82609 which are separate records for the first and third described sites respectively.