Scheduled Monuments›England›A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay

A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay

England
List entry 1442235
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1442235
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
0 hectares
Grid reference
TR3521942790, TR3521942790
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

The acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay are a pair of concrete structures constructed during the First World War as part of Britain's coastal defence against aerial attack. Dating to around 1916-1917, these monuments represent an experimental sound-detection technology designed to amplify the noise of approaching enemy aircraft before radar systems were developed. Each mirror comprises a large concave reflective surface positioned to focus acoustic waves towards a listening point, allowing observers to detect and locate aircraft at greater distances. Located on the Kent coast near Dover, these structures demonstrate the innovative defensive measures adopted during the Great War and remain among the best-preserved examples of their kind in Britain.

A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1442235. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay?

The acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay are a pair of concrete structures constructed during the First World War as part of Britain's coastal defence against aerial attack. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1442235.

Who is responsible for protecting A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay?

A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1442235.

What other scheduled monuments are near A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including St James' Church (3.2 km), Saxon shore fort bastion, Queen Street (3.6 km), St Martin's Church (3.6 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

St James' Church
3.2 km
Saxon shore fort bastion, Queen Street
3.6 km
St Martin's Church
3.6 km
The Bath House, N of Market Street
3.6 km
The Painted House, N of Market Street
3.6 km
South-western section of the Roman Fort of the Classis Britannica, near Albany Place
3.7 km
Maison Dieu
3.7 km
Fairbairn-type crane, Wellington Dock
3.8 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay

A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay stands on White Chalk Subgroup, bedrock that formed in the Maastrichtian. The rock here is chalk.

The wider landscape

Around A pair of acoustic mirrors at Fan Bay

CanterburyRoman town · ~15.7 miles
Domesday entry for St Margaret's, Kent →
All Scheduled Monuments