No public opening, interior tour or lawful viewing point for this gun house has been confirmed. Do not enter the farm or building without permission.
Read the information we checked ↗ · checked 2026-09-26
Use public paths and visitor areas. Do not enter unstaffed tunnels, shafts, railway land or restricted property.
Advice before you visitInformation checked 2026-09-26. Official heritage descriptions and current visitor or reserve advice checked. No site visit or direct landowner confirmation.
Covering the beach
The eastern gun house at Little Cliffsend Farm was probably built in late 1940 or early 1941. Historic England describes it as part of a two-gun battery positioned to fire along Pegwell Bay’s shore.
The design made use of existing trees for camouflage. Behind the gun chamber were passages and ammunition storage rooms. The listing records surviving camouflage paint and a faint drawing of coastal landmarks used to help aim the gun.
- Historic England — coastal defence list entry 1429581 ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-26
Historical detail without public opening
The structure explains another part of the bay’s defences: obstacles on the beach were supported by guns overlooking the landing ground. It is recorded at a farm, rather than advertised as an operating visitor attraction.
The listing’s descriptions date from the heritage assessment and do not establish today’s condition or permission to enter. This page documents the site’s history; a visit to the public country park should not be extended onto adjoining private land.
- Historic England — coastal defence list entry 1429581 ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-26
- Pegwell Bay Country Park ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-26
What we still need to check
The construction date is approximate. Public access and present condition are unconfirmed; interior details come from the official historical assessment.
Sources for the visiting information
- Historic England — coastal defence list entry 1429581 ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-26
- Pegwell Bay Country Park ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-26
About the original record
This place is recorded by Historic England / Planning Data. The details below include the original description of its building or site type.
Place details
- Category
- WWII defences
- Building or site type (original wording)
- Eastern of two Concrete Second World War 4-inch gun emplacements
- Period or date
- Around 1940–1941
- Current condition
- Not checked in person
- Heritage protection
- II
- Date protection was granted
- 2015-12-08
- Nearby town
- Margate (approximate)
- County named in the original record
- Kent
- Current county or council area
- Kent
- Nation
- England
- Original record number
- 1429581
- Coordinates
- 51.329701, 1.382384 (reference point, not an entrance)
- Heritage data checked
- 2026-09-13
- Source last updated
- 2026-09-12
- Visitor information checked
- 2026-09-26
We checked the downloaded heritage record on 2026-09-13. We have not visited or inspected the site. The map point may refer to a whole site, one structure or a location where little remains.