Lydden Spout Battery, World War II artillery battery in Kent, United Kingdom
Lydden Spout Battery is a World War II artillery position on the Kent coast consisting of three gun emplacements, underground ammunition magazines, and multiple brick structures. The complex stretches across the site west of Dover and still contains the original layout of this defensive installation.
The 520 Coastal Artillery Regiment operated this position from 1941 onward with three 6-inch guns capable of long-range coastal defense. The guns were removed in the 1950s after the war ended, though the underground structures and buildings remained on the site.
The site shows how British coastal defenses were organized during the war, with separate areas for officers and enlisted men that reflected the military hierarchy of the time. Visitors walking the grounds can see how the layout separated different ranks into distinct mess buildings.
The site is open to visitors and the buildings offer a clear view of how soldiers lived and worked at a coastal battery. Wear sturdy shoes since the grounds include rolling pastureland, and you can explore the underground tunnel systems if you visit.
The underground gun emplacement retains its original metal ventilation trunking system that supplied air to the plotting rooms during operations. After the war, this space served as a shooting range before being repurposed for agricultural use.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
