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MHG47210 - RAF Faraid Head, CEW R10 ROTOR Radar Station

Summary

A radar station established in the mid 1950s as part of the Rotor 3 Programme.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

NMRS Report: (03/05/2004)
NC37SE 4 38898 71438

Loran Radar station visible on vertical air photographs (V 540/RAF/1631, 0075-077, flown 1 June 1955) at Faraid Head. Several buildings shown on current OS digital 1:2500 scale map.
Information from RCAHMS (DE), May 2004 <1>

Martin Briscoe advises that this is a ROTOR radar station, one of three new CEW (Centrimetric Early Warning System) stations to be built as part of the final stage of the ROTOR Programme (Rotor 3). Rotor 3 was to provide radar cover for the north and west of the British Isles and to give low and surface level cover over the Atlantic.
The file on this site was opened on 18 May 1953. The equipment was dismanted in 1957 and the site abandoned on 1 September 1958. Most of the buildings on the technical site were located on a small plateau to the south and below the modulator building. These have now been demolished but the concrete bases could still be seen in 2004. The Type 80 modulator building was refurbished and completely refitted for use as a range control tower for the Cape Wrath and Garvie Island naval ranges. Further information about the Faraid Head site is available on the Subterranea Britannia website. <2><3>

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NC 38916 71562 (404m by 391m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NC37SE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DURNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (1)

External Links (3)