Freiston Coastal Defences, Lincolnshire, September 2019

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

HughieD

Super Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Supporting Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
5,532
Reaction score
11,135
Location
People's Republic of South Yorkshire.
1. The History
Freiston Shore coastal battery is an ensemble of gun emplacements, observation posts, coastal artillery search lights and magazines on the coast due east of Boston, Lincolnshire. It was an emergency battery built during the Second World War as part of Northern Command's coastal defences. It was commissioned in May 1940 and armed with two 6-inch breech-loading MkVII naval guns. Records show it was in use up until September 1944. The two 6-inch gun emplacements retain their anti-strafing measures. A low-level battery observation post and coast artillery searchlights are still intact, as are two earth-protected magazines.

In 2000 The RSPB established their reserve here when the outer sea bank was breached helping to create additional salt marsh and help with flood defences.

2. The Explore
Easy access and relaxed wander. Can’t really beat a bit of WWII concrete porn. Been before but the light was fading on that day and the sun didn’t show its face once. Hence nice to go back on a really fresh sunny September afternoon.

3. The Pictures

Pillbox exterior:

48702057072_7d1a3046f7_b.jpgimg3238 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and the interior. Clean specimen this:

48702061612_b9b5b9a068_b.jpgimg3235 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701555423_8af9e8cafc_b.jpgimg3237 by HughieDW, on Flickr

3 bay pillbox:

48702041117_7c922f03ea_b.jpgimg3250 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48702040217_3c61fe9a22_b.jpgimg3251 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701911236_a36119f983_b.jpgFreiston 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Gun emplacement - view out over the marshes:

48701546963_fa04dfd5a5_b.jpgimg3243 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Holdfast plate for the gun. 24 of the studs exist each being about 1in in diameter, 17 of these retain their nuts.

48702051952_86ef650d06_b.jpgimg3242 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Earth-protected magazine buildings:

48701551683_20f20b015b_b.jpgimg3240 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701543853_78d31a96e9_b.jpgimg3245 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701878381_de8bc14a5b_b.jpgimg3246 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701912956_498a301709_b.jpgFreiston 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48702079752_845ccde3ea_b.jpgFreiston 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48702079162_af73f38560_b.jpgFreiston 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Cute little hut hiding away in the undergrowth:

48701540183_16bb7e681c_b.jpgimg3249 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The Observation post:

48702033232_f77fcffd3b_b.jpgimg3257 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701867866_b25ed1b7da_b.jpgimg3256 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48702038902_87081b73e8_b.jpgimg3253 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701863906_fc94037c11_b.jpgimg3259 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Rear view:

48702029207_b211cded40_b.jpgimg3261 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And finally, another pillbox:

48701572613_805e98a368_b.jpgFreiston 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr

48701859261_b1a12b70c9_b.jpgimg3264 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 

Latest posts

Back
Top