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MHG47792 - Bower, Composite Signals Organisation (c.s.o.s.) , Bowermadden, Rdf Out-station No.2 Site

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

NMRS Report: (08/11/2004)
ND26SW 61.00 24370 64714

For No.1 site see ND26SE 28

ND26SW 61.01 ND 23651 62960 Building (administration No.3 site)
ND26SW 61.02 ND 23555 62117 Radio mast (No.4 site)
ND26SW 61.03 ND 24779 61576 Radio masts (No.5 site)

Bowermadden No.2 site RDF out-station for the former Admiralty Radio station and C.S.O.S GCHQ signals monitoring station. This site incorporated a masts within a circular enclosure. The running of this station was taken over by GCHQ (Cheltenham) in 1967 and the station closed in 1978. It has been de-requisitioned and the site sold back to the landowner. The mast area is visible on RAF vertical air photographs (106G/Scot/UK 75, 4409-4410, flown 9 May 1946).
Information from Defence of Britain Project form (Mr A Gutteridge), 1986 and 1999 and RCAHMS (DE), November 2004 <1>

The footprint of one of the buildings and antenna can be seen in the field across the road South West of Hunster Farm on modern aerial photography. <2>

It is possible that the circular walled enclosure of the farmstead (at NGR 324319 964056) represents another mast position. It is depicted on 5th edition mapping but not marked as 'Mast', whereas the mast position to the S is annotated. <3> <4>

Regarding the possible additional mast location at the farmstead, while this may have been used as a mast location, it is considered unlikely as the feature is first shown on the OS 1st Edition map and was probably a sheepfold. The known mast site had been ploughed away by 2021 judging by available vertical aerial photographs [IS-L 14/03/2024].

Sources/Archives (4)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred ND 24274 63947 (185m by 178m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	ND26SW
Civil Parish	BOWER
Geographical Area	CAITHNESS

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