Monument record MKE125190 - Extensive trench system of a Second World War defended area on the former Hengrove Golf Course

Extensive military zig-zag trench system surrounding a large oval site of a Second World War defended area visible as earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photographs: RAF/HLA/564 V 6016 01-JUN-1942, RAF/106G/UK/1378 V 5050 04-APR-1946. Seen levelled and as cropmarks on Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 07-APR-2021 and Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 21-APR-2007. The site lies on the former Hengrove Golf Course which was requisitioned in 1939 for military purposes and a large area of trenches and barbed wire entanglements interspersed with gun emplacements and fox holes were constructed to defend an area 665m x 450m. The trenches appear to have been taken out of use by 1942 (1-4)

Cropmarks of probable Second World War trenches centred at TR 3399 6839 extending across a large field north of Coldblows Grovelodge, Manston (covering an area of 240m x 335m) These wartime remnants are visible on aerial photographs taken in 2015 as part of the Historic England Reconnaissance Recording programme. The southern section are clear zig zag ditches, the form loosening to a wavey ditch with side spurs representing the various elements of the trench system.(5)

<1> Historic England Archive, 1941-1960, Historic England Archive RAF vertical aerial photographs, RAF/HLA/564 V 6016 01-JUN-1942 (Archive). SKE57101.

<2> Historic England Archive, 1941-1960, Historic England Archive RAF vertical aerial photographs, RAF/106G/UK/1378 V 5050 04-APR-1946 (Archive). SKE57101.

<3> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 21-APR-2007 (Archive). SKE57110.

<4> Next Perspectives, 2003-2021, Next Perspectives APGB orthophotography, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 07-APR-2021 (Archive). SKE57110.

<5> Historic England Archive, 2015, Oblique aerial photograph HEA 29748_005 29-JUN-2015 (Photograph). SKE59069.