1. The History
Godwin Battery was built in response to potential attack from the sea at the commencement of the First World War. Located just to the north of the Spurn peninsula and to the east of the village of Kilnsea, the battery operated in conjunction with Haile Sand and Bull Sand forts, on the pretext of preventing enemy vessels getting in and attacking the Humber shipyards and ports.
The battery was quickly completed in 1915 and consisted of two huge concrete bastions built to house 9.2-inch Mark X guns. A section of sea defence was built to shore up the coastline and stop the battery falling into the sea along with two Battery Observation Posts (B.O.P.) to keep watch over the firing zone, defensive trenches, redoubts and barbed wire spreading out from the battery. At the time of their construction the gun emplacements lay over 100m from the North Sea.
Battery plan from 1918:
Godwin by HughieDW, on Flickr
Ironically, the guns never saw action in the end despite the Imperial German Navy launching raids on the British mainland in 1914 at Scarborough, Hartlepool, Whitby and Lowestoft. After the Battle of Jutland the German’s ability to raid the coastline was low, although training and observation would have continued to the end of the war.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, invasion became a reality for Britain, and Godwin Battery once again found itself in use again. The older guns had been removed, and a new 4-inch Mark IX was installed along with a pair of searchlights. Godwin again had a relatively quiet war, although the drone of bombers and clatter of nearby anti-aircraft guns would have been familiar to those stationed on the east coast. The site was finally sold off by the military in 1959 and converted into a caravan park. With the Holderness coast suffering around 2 metres of erosion by the sea every year, the Godwin Battery has broken and collapsed and it associated buildings fallen off the cliff face.
Aerial picture of the now collapsed battery
Aerial Godwin by HughieDW, on Flickr
2. The Explore
Visited as part of our trip to Spurn point. This was an easy explore in the gloriously setting sunlight. Not too much to add and not much to see apart from some incredibly large chunks of concrete. Worth a look-see for half an hour though.
3. The Pictures
Spurn 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Spurn 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Spurn 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Spurn 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Spurn 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9891 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9887 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Almost like a giant cup and saucer:
img9884 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9883 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9881 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9880 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9879 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9877 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9876 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9875 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9873 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9871 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Godwin Battery was built in response to potential attack from the sea at the commencement of the First World War. Located just to the north of the Spurn peninsula and to the east of the village of Kilnsea, the battery operated in conjunction with Haile Sand and Bull Sand forts, on the pretext of preventing enemy vessels getting in and attacking the Humber shipyards and ports.
The battery was quickly completed in 1915 and consisted of two huge concrete bastions built to house 9.2-inch Mark X guns. A section of sea defence was built to shore up the coastline and stop the battery falling into the sea along with two Battery Observation Posts (B.O.P.) to keep watch over the firing zone, defensive trenches, redoubts and barbed wire spreading out from the battery. At the time of their construction the gun emplacements lay over 100m from the North Sea.
Battery plan from 1918:
Ironically, the guns never saw action in the end despite the Imperial German Navy launching raids on the British mainland in 1914 at Scarborough, Hartlepool, Whitby and Lowestoft. After the Battle of Jutland the German’s ability to raid the coastline was low, although training and observation would have continued to the end of the war.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, invasion became a reality for Britain, and Godwin Battery once again found itself in use again. The older guns had been removed, and a new 4-inch Mark IX was installed along with a pair of searchlights. Godwin again had a relatively quiet war, although the drone of bombers and clatter of nearby anti-aircraft guns would have been familiar to those stationed on the east coast. The site was finally sold off by the military in 1959 and converted into a caravan park. With the Holderness coast suffering around 2 metres of erosion by the sea every year, the Godwin Battery has broken and collapsed and it associated buildings fallen off the cliff face.
Aerial picture of the now collapsed battery
2. The Explore
Visited as part of our trip to Spurn point. This was an easy explore in the gloriously setting sunlight. Not too much to add and not much to see apart from some incredibly large chunks of concrete. Worth a look-see for half an hour though.
3. The Pictures
Almost like a giant cup and saucer:
