Budle Bay Defenses, Northumberland (pic heavy as usual)

[jonney]

Budle Bay and the surrounding area are steeped in history, once an important port, given its charter in the 13th century by King Henry III . During the 18th and 19th centuries the demand for lime to improve agriculture in Britain rose rapidly and there also developed a coastal trade with ships carrying burned lime to a range of destinations from larger banks of kilns situated nearby. The once busy harbour has long since disappeared, silted up beneath the sands of the estuary, and today is a nature reserve. The area is also home to some surviving WW2 defenses. This was the first chance I have had to get out and about this year so I hope you enjoy

First up we have the Hotchkiss gun emplacement overlooking the bay S0007197 (also the reason I got into this in the first place as we used to play in here when we were kids)

Next we have Fire Trench S0007196 which is a right barsteward to find unless you do what I did and fall into it by accident

can you tell what it is yet...

the trench runs in an L shape

inside the shelter

The DoB has this next structure as being a pillbox but it isn't I personally think its been an observation post but I'm open to correction

And lastly, not stricktly WW2 as I believe it was the end of the line for the lime before it was loaded onto ships from the nearby jetty, the area was once crossed with narrow gauge railway lines that were utilised during WW2 to carry supplies to the defenses. This stands approx. 50 foot from the gun emplacement

Well thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed them

Cheers Jon

 

[night crawler]

Excellent work as usual and some great concrete found, so much different from those type 28's round here.

 

[jonney]

Excellent work as usual and some great concrete found, so much different from those type 28's round here.

There you go again with your type 28's lol you know I can't resist them

 

[Munchh]

Love that gun emplacement, I noticed 20 studs on the holdfast. 18 bolt holes on the pedestal mounts down here.

With you on the observation post.

Three great reports, thanks for posting.

 

[jonney]

Love that gun emplacement, I noticed 20 studs on the holdfast. 18 bolt holes on the pedestal mounts down here.

With you on the observation post.

Three great reports, thanks for posting.

cheers mate, not sure about the pedestal but I was lead to believe this housed a 6lb Hotchkiss gun which all of the emplacements like this up here had. There is another emplacement further North near Berwick which I will be doing some time soon so I'll check the mountings out on that one

 

[jonney]

just had a look at a photo of the other gun emplacement of the web and it also has a 20 stud mounting ring

 

[Munchh]

just had a look at a photo of the other gun emplacement of the web and it also has a 20 stud mounting ring

The ones down here are only recorded as 6 pounder gun emplacements, the weapon isn't specified but the Naval Hotchkiss was a possible IIRC. We know they used whatever weapons they could lay hands on.

Interesting comparing the differences in the defences across the DOB command areas.

 

[cptpies]

Excellent report as usual Jonney but I'm not sure that's a Hotchkiss emplacment, if you mean a 6Pdr, it's much too big. It's
probably more like a Naval 4" or 25Pdr.

 

[jonney]

Excellent report as usual Jonney but I'm not sure that's a Hotchkiss emplacment, if you mean a 6Pdr, it's much too big. It's
probably more like a Naval 4" or 25Pdr.

the emplacement is huge in comparison with the hotchkiss emplacements further South round Newbiggin so you'll be right on that score. This and it's counter part at Cocklawburn covered shipping movements either side of Holy Island (Lindisfarne) so a gun with a good range would be needed

 

[flyboys90]

And to think they nearly built a nuclear power station at Budle Bay.

 

[jonney]

And to think they nearly built a nuclear power station at Budle Bay.

didn't know they were trying to build one there I thought they were trying to build one at Druridge Bay. If they had it would have spoilt an area of natural beauty and one of the best beaches in the country

 

[RichCooper]

Nice one mate.Some serious concrete there

 

[jonney]

Nice one mate.Some serious concrete there

Cheers mate

 

[the_historian]

Great photos, Jonney. Know what you mean about falling into things; I bought a Garmin GPS unit with a 'go to' feature becaiuse I was sick of doing that.
Could that observation post be a wartime ROC one?

 

[jonney]

Great photos, Jonney. Know what you mean about falling into things; I bought a Garmin GPS unit with a 'go to' feature becaiuse I was sick of doing that.
Could that observation post be a wartime ROC one?

cheers mate good to see you back. It is quite possible that it was manned by the ROC as they were active in Northumberland at that time

 

[flyboys90]

didn't know they were trying to build one there I thought they were trying to build one at Druridge Bay. If they had it would have spoilt an area of natural beauty and one of the best beaches in the country

Your right it was Druridge, my mistake I,m easily confused these days!!

 

[Sgu1982]

Budle Bay and the surrounding area are steeped in history, once an important port, given its charter in the 13th century by King Henry III . During the 18th and 19th centuries the demand for lime to improve agriculture in Britain rose rapidly and there also developed a coastal trade with ships carrying burned lime to a range of destinations from larger banks of kilns situated nearby. The once busy harbour has long since disappeared, silted up beneath the sands of the estuary, and today is a nature reserve. The area is also home to some surviving WW2 defenses. This was the first chance I have had to get out and about this year so I hope you enjoy

First up we have the Hotchkiss gun emplacement overlooking the bay S0007197 (also the reason I got into this in the first place as we used to play in here when we were kids)

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Next we have Fire Trench S0007196 which is a right barsteward to find unless you do what I did and fall into it by accident

can you tell what it is yet...

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the trench runs in an L shape

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inside the shelter

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The DoB has this next structure as being a pillbox but it isn't I personally think its been an observation post but I'm open to correction

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And lastly, not stricktly WW2 as I believe it was the end of the line for the lime before it was loaded onto ships from the nearby jetty, the area was once crossed with narrow gauge railway lines that were utilised during WW2 to carry supplies to the defenses. This stands approx. 50 foot from the gun emplacement

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Well thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed them

Cheers Jon

Hi everyone long shot but does anyone know where abouts the fire trench is? Here in budle bay but can’t find it ha! Any help
Be great

 

[night crawler]

Hi everyone long shot but does anyone know where abouts the fire trench is? Here in budle bay but can’t find it ha! Any help
Be great

I think you are just going to have to fid the first he shows nearby and then start looking