Copyright notice

Photos Image H993, H34293, H1257 and TR 455 courtesy of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum. These images cannot be copied from this site without prior permission from the IWM.

 

 

Lavernock Battery, S.Wales

Originally built in 1870 to protect Cardiff and Bristol, the battery at Lavernock Point, near Penarth, S.Wales is still remarkably intact today.

There is a vistors plaque at Lavernock Battery, which informs visitors: "The concrete remains you see here are the remains of an anti-aircraft battery built during WW2.

There were four 3.7" anti-aircraft guns, arranged in a clover-leaf pattern, with lighter 40mm Bofors guns nearby. There was also a command post, magazine and workshop. The crews slept in huts which have now vanished. Many similar batteries were built during the war, but few remain.

[I believe there are seven still remaining in the UK - Editor]

The site is unusual because two of the gun-pits (1 & 2) had steel doors to allow the guns to be lowered to engage shipping.

Pits 3 & 4 have earth walls with no separate magazine.

At the southern end of the battery is a concrete searchlight bunker for the shore battery that protected the Bristol Channel.

The remains of this shore battery now lie under the holiday chalets."

Lavernock Battery Today

Lavernock Battery today is still largely intact, although showing signs of vandalism. The concrete road is still intact and is an easy route to follow to the battery.

Listed as an ancient monument, the main buildings and emplacements are overgrown, but can still be seen.

The searchlight bunker appears to be of the same design as that at Brownstone Battery, Devon, but has its blast doors still intact.

How to find Lavernock Battery

Lavernock Battery lies only a mile or so from the B4267 Barry-Sully-Penarth road, about 1 mile west of the entrance for Cosmeston Lake entrance.

Turn into Fort Road, (on the left as you drive westwards from Cosmeston) and follow the road to the holiday chalet site. Park safely near hear.

Next to the entrance of the campsite is a public footpath that uses the old WW2 road to the battery. The searchlight bunker lies beyond the battery. (OS Map GR184680).

About the 3.7" anti-aircraft gun

The 3.7 inch anti-aircraft gun was Britains main heavy anti-aircraft gun during WW2.

It was similar to the German 88mm gun, although with a slighly larger calibre at 94mm.

The 3.7" anti-aircraft gun could fire a shell up to 59,000 feet, which was far higher than the aircraft of its day could fly.

The gun remained in use until it was replaced by anti-aircraft missiles in the late 1950s.

Read more about the 3.7" anti-aircraft gun (external site)......