Jarrow, Drewett Playing Fields, barrage balloon

HER Number:
6737

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
Jarrow, Drewett Playing Fields, barrage balloon

Place:
Jarrow

Map Sheet:
NZ36NW

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Anti Aircraft Defence Site

Site Type: Specific:
Barrage Balloon Site

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Cropmark

Description:
Aerial photographs of Drewhett's Park in Jarrow show a parch mark which appears to represent a curvilinear, ovate banked enclosure, 30 metres long and 20 metres wide with no obvious entrances. The oval terminates into a linear bank to the west that extends some 20 metres before being lost in the park path. Geophysical survey suggested that the edge of the feature is stone or concrete. The lack of internal features and the association of the terminal line with the path suggests that this is not a feature of antiquity. Elderly local residents recall that there was a barrage balloon emplacement and winch here during the Second World War, used to protect the River Tyne from enemy bombing. The enclosure is therefore assumed to be connected with the balloon, perhaps protecting it when it was inactive.

Easting:
3384

Northing:
6532

Grid Reference:
NZ33846532

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Nigel Barker, 2003, A Geophysical Survey of Drewhett's Park and Jarrow Hall Garden, Tyneside (MA Archaeological Survey, Durham University); aerial photograph 19/08/76, University of Newcastle A111503/21; English Heritage Hadrian's Wall WHS Mapping Project, 2008, 1405901; Aerial Photograph RAF 3G/TUD/UK/125 5185 04-APR-1946; Turner, A, 2011, Geophysical Surveys at Wearnouth and Jarrow 2008-2011