Fieldwork

Fieldwork is an essential part of this study and is undertaken as and when necessary, even though recording the evidence that still remains is an incidental goal and not the main focus.

There is no set sequence between gathering data from other sources and the landscape itself. Sometimes fieldwork precedes other research, and vice versa; progress in both areas usually only occurs, however, when all forms of research are intermingled.

For example, a defence scheme can simply list defence posts without any form of illustration, and although maps and technology such as Google Earth can assist, the landscape itself is the best source. Sometimes several visits to the same locality with further documentary research in between are the key to unlocking the past.

Survey methods

Upon discovering something of note in the landscape, my first task in recording it is to mark its location using a handheld GPS receiver. Some archaeologists may recoil in horror at the use of this technology over good old-fashioned map-reading, but there is a reason for this.

Firstly, to take an accurate grid reference requires access to large-scale mapping, which I don't have; covering an area the size I'm studying it is not feasible to purchase detailed maps for the entire area larger than the 1:50,000 scale Ordnance Survey maps.

Secondly, the landscape as it is today is not the primary purpose of my research; I want to interpret the terrain as it was in 1940-41, and so the accuracy of my GPS receiver (within 10m) is adequate for my purposes.

In most cases a GPS fix and a series of digital photographs and handwritten notes is all that I require to record a feature. In cases where a feature appears to be well-preserved or of significance, the tape measure comes out and I conduct a more thorough survey.

Reconstruction

A combination of fieldwork and digital technology permits elements of the defended landscape to be reconstructed and new evidence to be gleaned.

One such 'discovery' was the purpose of the brick or concrete piers situated below the weapons platforms in some Type 24 pillboxes; the purpose of these is often believed to provide support for benches.

However, a trip to a pillbox with a Bren gun tripod established that these piers are actually to permit use of the tripod set up in the embrasure.

By undertaking this reconstruction (the gun itself has been superimposed onto the photograph), it became clear that the piers have been carefully set at the exact height to set the tripod's traversing arc level. Measurements show that had there been a bench plank on the piers, the Bren's magazine would have fouled the embrasure roof.

Other means of reconstructing the past landscape using 3D models and charting fields of fire can be seen on the Google Earth page.