MSO10278 - World War Two nissen hut sites north of Dunster park (Monument)

There were two Nissen huts along the north edge of Dunster Park, possibly associated with the Home Guard. One is clearly visible on the RAF vertical aerial photographs and the other one is less clear to the southeast. [1-2] Possible Second World War Nissen huts are visible on aerial photographs. The two Nissen huts are located in the northwest corner of Dunster Park, centred at SS 9948 4400 and parallel to the A39 road. The huts are 9.5 metres long by 2.5 metres wide and placed 45 metres apart at SS 9945 4402 and SS 9951 4398. The Nissen huts were likely to have been used as accommodation and/or storage for the manning of the two adjacent pillboxes recorded as MMO1245 and MMO1252. The buildings were demolished by 1970 when only the footings were visible on the aerial photography. [2-4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5] Nissen huts were designed by Peter Nissen, an American inventor who created the hut while serving in the 103rd Field Company of the Royal Engineers in April 1916. The semi-circular design was supposedly inspired by an ice-skating rink Nissen had seen in Canada. Such huts were not constructed in Britain during the First World War, but military hut development continued during the inter-war period. Building programmes associated with the Second World War resulted in construction of huts in great numbers, with c. 3500 created for training camps alone. The word “Nissen” quickly became attached to a variety of temporary hut types, and 52 different variations are known from this period. Further research on individual hut types in use on military sites on Exmoor would be of value. [6]