A square feature with two black squares and two white squares arranged in a chequerboard pattern. The black squares appear to be made of tar or pitch poured onto the shingle; the white squares are probably made of a lime slurry poured onto the shingle. The very straight edges suggested it was made in within shutters which were then removed. According to the exhibition in the Black Beacon and from information from the National Trust the ground marker was used in the calculation of position and height of aircraft during ballistics trials, and appears on aerial photograph from 1945 (on Google Earth).

Site visit September 2016: White section measurement E-W = 2.0m N-S = 4m Black section measurement E-W = c.3+m (the edges are ill defined as it spreads out) N-S = 4m

Site visit 20 January 2017: The two seaward squares have completely eroded away and only part of the northerly two squares still remain with the measurements as follows. Black section measurement E-W = 2.29m, N-S = 4.67m, 0.61m thick to full extent into shingle. White section E-W = 2.6m, N-S = 4.57m, 0.11m thick to full extent into shingle.

Site visit 3 June 3 2017 Marker further eroded Black section E-W = 2.20m, N-S = 4.67m White section E-W = 2.5m, N-S = 4.55m

Site visit March 11 2018 Marker nearly totally erorded away. There is no evidence of the black section and the white section appears only as a c 8cm deep layer in the elevation created by the shingle shelf and is not visible in plan any longer.

Period

Modern (1901 and later)

Period comments

The target can be seen on an aerial photograph taken in 1945 (Google Earth).

The earliest date of the feature, as a year, if known

1945

The latest date of the feature, as a year, if known

Monument Type - Broad

Military installation

Monument Type - Narrow

Monument Description

Evidence Type - Broad

Evidence Type - Narrow

Evidence Description

Object Type - Broad

Object Type - Narrow

Object Description

Other records:

NRHE Number

Unknown

NT HBSMR Number

Unknown

HER Event Number

Unknown

External Link

None

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