Page 203 - Alderney Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy: Environmental Report

Alderney Regional Environmental Assessment of Renewable Energy:
Environmental Report
There are also a number of records that highlight the presence of structures and buildings
within the Roman period. Although the functions of the buildings are not necessarily clear, it is
likely that some of these would have formed Roman habitation farmsteads. As findspots of
burials, brick and tile, pottery, coins, and domestic items including glass and bronze vessels
have all been recovered on Alderney and its surrounding islands.
Saxon to Post-Medieval (AD 410 - 1899): Medieval settlement on Alderney was focussed at
St Anne, while Longis Bay appears to have been the main harbour in the medieval to early
post-medieval period. It remained so up until the construction of Braye Harbour in the mid-18th
Century (ARE, 2008).
During the late medieval to post-medieval periods the strategic importance of Alderney and
periodic threats of invasion resulted in the construction of fortifications and other defensive
structures. As a result, a number of fortifications were built around the island during this period,
including new batteries built in the mid-18th Century and further fortifications constructed in the
early to mid-19th Century. Examples include Essex Hill (MGU4279), which was fortified in the
late 16th Century to protect the harbour at Longis Bay. A chain of 18 forts and batteries were
constructed around Alderney between 1850 and 1859 in order to defend the island and Braye
Harbour during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (ARE, 2008). The earliest was
Fort Grosnez (MGU4269) built in 1853 to protect the inner harbour at Braye during the
construction of Alderney Breakwater. Fort Tourgis (MGU4266) on the northwest coast is the
second largest fort on the island and was completed in 1855. Fortifications were also built on
nearby islands to afford defence of Alderney, such as Fort Hommeaux Florains (MGU4275) off
the northeast coast and Fort Ile de Raz (MGU4275) off the southeast coast.
Other evidence of Medieval and Post-Medieval activity on the island is from buildings and
structures many of which have been demolished or are in a ruinous state. A number of hedges
(MGU3538) were also constructed during this period as a basis for land divisions.
Modern Period (1899 - present): Modern activity on the island primarily relates to evidence
from World War II in relation to the German occupation of the island between 1940 and 1945. A
significant number of records relate to this period of activity on the island. The extent of military
activity is demonstrated by the presence of WWII coastal military structures and anti-invasion
defences. In 1942 and 1943 further forts were built and earlier forts and batteries were
reconstructed with additional defence features as part of the construction of Hitler’s Atlantikwall
(Atlantic Wall) (ARE, 2008). Other military structures constructed along the coast during the
occupation include air raid shelters, the establishment of several bunkers and pillboxes with
associated gun emplacements some of which served as anti-aircraft guns. In the intertidal and
shallow coastal areas anti-tank and underwater obstacles were also built.
Many of the bunkers, pillboxes, gun emplacements and shallow water defences were removed
after the war, leaving evidence of extant structures.
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