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Report - - Spurn Point military defences 29-12-07 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Spurn Point military defences 29-12-07

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Squirrell 911

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Today madmax and I went to finish off where we left off from on a previous explore. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=23797&highlight=spurn+point

Spurn Point was purchased by the War Department prior to the outbreak of the First World War with the intention of building fortifications to protect the Humber Estuary. A gun battery was duly built at the northern end of the peninsula at Kilnsea (which we covered on our last trip) with a more substantial fort and barracks at the southern tip these were linked by a standard gauge railway line as no roads or tracks existed. At the southern end the railway ran on to a wooden jetty to allow materials to be unloaded from ships. Concrete sea defences were built to protect the fortifications and railway from coastal erosion. The two river forts at Bull and Haile Sands completed the defensive chain protecting the Humber.

The entire site is very overgrown so substantial clothing was required.

Emplacement for WW2 6 pounder gun. There is one the same if you go through the doorway in the picture.



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The room between the gun emplacements.

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We then wandered through the undergrowth towards the end of the estuary and found a couple of smaller self contained emplacments.

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The point where the railway headed out onto the pier.

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Inside the bunkers. The sand ingress over the years has almost filled them up so there isnt a great deal to see.

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We then had a walk around the tip of Spurn Point without getting too sandblasted It is so desolate there and the wind picks up the sand very easily leaving the stones on mounds (a bit arty but bear with me) :)

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We then headed towards the lighthouse which hasnt seen a lick of paint in quite a few years.

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Then headed back home in time for lunch.

Madmax will add his soon.
 

MADMAX

Member
28DL Full Member
Well, what a great day out down at the Point.
You really feel that you are at the edge of England when you're there.

I think it's fair to say we've cracked this one now.
There is still stuff to be found buried in the undergrowth or dug out of the sand, but the reward for doing this would be minimal.
I've just about got the sand out of my ears and camera now :rolleyes:
Anyway, here are my photos finally.

Welcome to Spurn Point
SPSIGN.jpg


An old bombshell with parachute still attached buried in the sand
SPBOMB.jpg


The Main twin Gun Battery
SPBATTERY.jpg


Iron supports now rusting away on the Battery roof
SPIRON.jpg


Bull Sands Fort out across the Estuary
SPBULL.jpg


Inside one of the smaller gun emplacements
SPROOF.jpg


Steps and a concrete ammo store for the Gun that once sat on top.
SPSTEPS.jpg


The now crumbling Defence Wall with 1950 craved in and the oldest Lighthouse in the distance
SP1950.jpg


The Crest on the Lighthouse wall
SPCREST.jpg


The magnificent old Lighthouse
SPLIGHTHOUSE.jpg


Another Pill box reclaimed by the elements
SPPILL.jpg


Big "Coastguard" Brother is watching
spguard.jpg


Leave only footprints...
SPFOOT.jpg


I'd recommend anyone to go down and take a look and what was our first major line of defence for the Humber Estuary.
 

MADMAX

Member
28DL Full Member
Good stuff, visited there in August when the bushes were in leaf, agree about the substantial clothing :-). Parts of those 6 pounder emplacements still have their protective steel shutters in situ which is quite a rare survival...

I think Pic 3 shows one of the WW2 searchlight emplacements at the end of the point, there is a row of four as shown under the crosshair here:

Zoom Earth | LIVE weather map, storm tracker, rain radar

Yes, you're right mate, they are the ones.
Here some more pics:
External shot
DSC_0052-2.jpg


A rail that runs around the inside of the roof
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Squirrell911 inside
DSC_0053.jpg


Squirrell also used his magic spade to clear the sand on the floor to uncover a "V" groove in the concrete pointing toward the opening.

Just added this in because has some interesting history on Spurn Point in general and a few good illustrations and pics.
Worth a quick look: http://www.skeals.co.uk/people.html
 
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MADMAX

Member
28DL Full Member
Seeing as there seems to be some continued interest in this thread I thought I'd throw a few more picture up from last weekend.

Open to the elements is an understatement - as Squirrell911 will testify too
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What's left of a Gun emplacement on the top of the Point
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Inside the main Battery looking out at where one of the huge guns once stood
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A building with bars on all the windows, no longer secure without a roof
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There doesn't appear to be anyway to access this anymore
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Wooden stumps are now all that's left a once large jetty
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Another building buried between the dunes and gullies
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From the inside (both stairwell exits behind me had collapsed in)
DSC_0087-1.jpg


The waves lap around the anti tank blocks
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