CHAIN HOME RADAR STATION CH07

A Chain Home radar station at Pevensey that was established by February 1940. The station provided early warning of enemy aircraft for the south coast, overlooking the English Channel towards the raid assembly areas in northern France. Thus it was an important element of the country's early warning system during the Battle of Britain, particularly for the heavily engaged 11 Group RAF Fighter Command. As such it was targeted and bombed by the Luftwaffe on "Adlertag" or "Eagle Day", the all-out German air assault from 13th August 1940. Chain Home stations comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and standby set houses. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft guns, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The site was remodelled and technically restored in the early 1950s as part of the Rotor programme. The technical site at Pevensey Rotor station was centred at TQ 644 073. The domestic site for the station was situated at Wartling GCI radar station. The radar station was disused by 1958 and the site was sold. The radar station survives in almost complete condition. 

The receiver block compete with protective earthen mound remains extant at TQ 6410 0702, with a full set of aerial bases. The transmission block located at TQ 6440 0722 also has its earthen mound and four aerial bases set in a line immediately to the north of it aligned from east to west. Many other features of the station, including air raid shelters, married wardens quarters and ancillary buildings remain extant throughout the site. The buried reserves- where replacement transmission and receiver equipment were stored- and their attached aerial bases remain undisturbed at TQ 6440 0689.