It can be found at OSGB36 TA 410166 or WGS84 53:37.6264N 0:7.9113E
In the early weeks of autumn the clifftop path and surroundings between Kilnsea and Spurn Point are soft, organic and natural.
In the unfettered coastal winds anything not firmly rooted, bedded or bolted down is at risk from displacement. The abrasive effect of whipped up sand gives a premature ageing appearance to timber, brick and the hardy human residents of the narrow spit of land between Humber Estuary and North Sea. The farmers fields,harvested, cleared and freshly ploughed provide the rarity of harsh and regimented unnatural lines but an apt backdrop for the high concrete structure of the Kilnsea Sound Mirror.
An alien apparatus in style but with the appearance of a fifteen foot high severed and mounted big toe sticking out of the ground and with an indented nail as though hammered into smoothness with a heavy blunt object. It must have been cast in situ as transporting it overland would have involved the logistics of an Egyptian stone cutter and considerable forced and strained labour. The footings must have been dug deep and packed solid as the heavy loading of the superstructure remains pert and erect to this day.
The device was a crude manual forerunner of later radar systems with the concave surface of the dish acting as a receiver for the sounds of Zeppelins or other enemy aircraft approaching the mainland from hostile europe. The acoustic sensitivity was magnified by a microphone in the form of a trumpet head within the radius of the sound mirror which was hard wired to a Listener huddled in a slit trench in the damp clay soils surounding the installation.
This duty roster must have been feared and loathed given the perceived remoteness of the location and poor shelter from inclement conditions. The return trip from the garrison in Hull was around 60 miles and with only small villages and hamlets in between for sustenance, shelter and conversation. In the absence of technological aids the headphone wearing soldier would have to interpret the distance and bearing of any attackers on their own initiative and based on confidence in their aural powers. This role was not in vain as there were frequent Zeppelin raids along the East Coast during the 1914-1918 conflict. The ensuing damage to, and demoralisation of , the population may have highlighted some shortcomings in the communications from headset to interceptors.
In the unfettered coastal winds anything not firmly rooted, bedded or bolted down is at risk from displacement. The abrasive effect of whipped up sand gives a premature ageing appearance to timber, brick and the hardy human residents of the narrow spit of land between Humber Estuary and North Sea. The farmers fields,harvested, cleared and freshly ploughed provide the rarity of harsh and regimented unnatural lines but an apt backdrop for the high concrete structure of the Kilnsea Sound Mirror.
An alien apparatus in style but with the appearance of a fifteen foot high severed and mounted big toe sticking out of the ground and with an indented nail as though hammered into smoothness with a heavy blunt object. It must have been cast in situ as transporting it overland would have involved the logistics of an Egyptian stone cutter and considerable forced and strained labour. The footings must have been dug deep and packed solid as the heavy loading of the superstructure remains pert and erect to this day.
The device was a crude manual forerunner of later radar systems with the concave surface of the dish acting as a receiver for the sounds of Zeppelins or other enemy aircraft approaching the mainland from hostile europe. The acoustic sensitivity was magnified by a microphone in the form of a trumpet head within the radius of the sound mirror which was hard wired to a Listener huddled in a slit trench in the damp clay soils surounding the installation.
This duty roster must have been feared and loathed given the perceived remoteness of the location and poor shelter from inclement conditions. The return trip from the garrison in Hull was around 60 miles and with only small villages and hamlets in between for sustenance, shelter and conversation. In the absence of technological aids the headphone wearing soldier would have to interpret the distance and bearing of any attackers on their own initiative and based on confidence in their aural powers. This role was not in vain as there were frequent Zeppelin raids along the East Coast during the 1914-1918 conflict. The ensuing damage to, and demoralisation of , the population may have highlighted some shortcomings in the communications from headset to interceptors.
The structure remains now almost part of the natural landscape. Either by intention or luck the physical positioning of the Sound Mirror has prevented collapse and loss of the war relic over the fast receeding cliff line. If records are lost in the future I wonder what the historians of that time will make of this strange object?
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