There are many 20th century defensive structures dotted around the countryside and coast of Northern Ireland. These include trenches, gun and searchlight emplacements, pillboxes, observation posts, airfields, harbours, naval and flying boat bases, air raid shelters, and many other interesting structures. The majority of these are derelict, some have been reused or altered, others are in a state of decay. Many have been demolished or destroyed.
In 1995 the Defence of Britain Project was launched by The Council for British Archaeology (CBA)
to coordinate recording work undertaken by volunteers. Two years later Northern Ireland joined the project with the Defence Heritage Project (DHP). A small number of dedicated volunteers has amassed an impressive record of many aspects of our defence heritage, and over 500 sites of interest have been recorded, although coverage is not yet complete.
We coordinate and store all Defence Heritage Project records, and send copies to the Defence of Britain Project, where they are integrated into their database. These records can be viewed on their web site, accessed through the Monuments and Buildings Record, or you can Contact Us for further details.
We are always interested in adding to our Defence Heritage Record, and would be grateful to receive any additional information on 20th century defences.
Protecting our Defence Heritage
Our defence heritage represents a significant period in Northern Ireland's history. We work to protect sites of interest through both legislation and policy. The most appropriate form of protection is identified on an individual site basis.
A number of sites have been Scheduled for protection under the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (NI) Order 1995. These include a fighter pilot dome trainer, which is unique in Northern Ireland, and a variety of pill boxes.
Other sites have been Listed for protection under the Planning (NI) Order 1991, such as the control tower and associated buildings at Langford Lodge, Crumlin.
We also work with the Planning Service to ensure defence heritage sites are given due consideration when dealing with new development applications.
Conserving our Defence HeritageWe work with local councils, heritage bodies and interested community groups to conserve our defence heritage. We also own Grey Point Fort, situated in Crawfordsburn Country Park, County Down. The Fort was in use in both World War I and World War II, protecting Belfast Lough from naval attacks. Certain buildings on the site have been conserved and are open to the public with displays on the history of the Fort.