Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  Legal Documents for Liberton Battery, anti-aircraft battery 100m E of Liberton Kennels (SM13607)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600000944)

Summary

Description

The monument is the remains of a heavy anti-aircraft battery built during the Second World War. It is visible as a series of concrete and brick structures and associated earthworks. The main structures comprise four gun emplacements, two magazines and the command post. The battery is located on the lower, east-facing slopes of the Braid Hills at around 125m above sea level. There are extensive views to the N and E over Edinburgh and the Forth.

This is one of a network of anti-aircraft batteries built to defend Edinburgh and the Forth. Documentary sources show that the gun emplacements housed four 3.7 inch guns. The remains of concrete hard standings for an associated camp lie to the W, and a scarped area that accommodated the gun laying radar lies to the N, but the camp and radar sites are not included in the scheduled area because they show a lower level of preservation and the camp site is in active use.

The scheduled area is irregular on plan and includes the remains described above and an area around them within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling specifically excludes the fences at the boundaries of the scheduled area, the above-ground elements of post-and-wire fences within the scheduled area, and the above ground elements of animal feeders.

Statement of National Importance

The monument has inherent potential to make a significant contribution to our understanding of the past, particularly the defences constructed and manned as part of the extensive effort to defend Britain during the Second World War. The physical legacy of the Second World War is a significant reminder of a major event in human history, and demonstrates the impact that the war had on the people and landscape of Scotland. This site can tell us about the daily lives of those who built and operated these anti-aircraft defences. This monument retains its field characteristics to a marked degree, with well-preserved concrete and brick structures that retain some fixtures and fittings that often do not survive at comparable sites. Anti-aircraft defences are one of the most prominent and important elements of the network of wartime remains within Britain. They were carefully positioned to take advantage of local terrain, topography and lines of sight to defend and protect the most valuable strategic, industrial and economic national assets. The defences of the Forth were part of a wider national system utilising the landscape of Scotland and the UK. The preservation of some of the most important and best preserved individual sites can enhance our understanding and appreciation of the wider Second World War defensive landscape of Scotland and the sacrifices made by people during the conflict. Details of the construction and use of anti-aircraft batteries can be found in the official records of the War Office. If this monument was to be lost or damaged, it would significantly affect our ability to understand the nature and scale of the efforts made to defend Britain against enemy aerial threats in the Second World War, and diminish the associations between communities and their collective experience or memory of the Second World War. Loss of the monument would also have a particular impact on our ability to understand and appreciate the defence of the Forth and of Scotland's capital city during the conflict. These monumental concrete structures are highly visible and powerful reminders of one of the defining events of the 20th century, and of modern human history.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.