From time to time on Visit Scunthorpe, we'll run an article about an area or site of interest in or around the town. In this case we will be looking at an abandoned WW2 Anti Aircraft Battery thanks to some photographs sent in by one of our regulars. Previous articles have included Dragonby Mines and also the lost church and moated house of North Conesby. Located at the top of the hillside behind what would have been the Lysight's works, Winterton AA Battery was one of several fortifications built along the south bank of the Humber and the Trent to protect the steel town of Scunthorpe from air attack. Other batteries can be located at Barrow Haven (in a private residence) and Winteringham. In comparison to Winteringham, this particular battery seems to be larger, and more intact. Site Layout Located on the top of the cliff overlooking the old Lysights works, the Winterton Battery is most discerbable by two nearby grass covered mounds. These may or may not be related to the original site (1 & 2 in diagram) but seem from the plan to fall well within the complex. The bunkers were probably used to store munitions in them, but would appear now to have been incorporated into a structure operated by Anglian Water. This is of course pure conjecture, but, given their location within the boundaries of the site, and the proximity and orientation of other buildings around them its a fair assumption to assume that this was the case. Passing the bunker like structures, guarding the main route to the gun emplacements is a small wooden hut, located next to a large corrugated iron storage shed. Both of these structures are intact, and seem to mark the westerly boundary of the camp. A few meters further down that same road is the base of another similar size structure which has been demolished at some point. the rubble still remains, and its orientation to the bunker like structure again suggests that this was part of the original site. The Gun Emplacements �� In total there would appear to be 5 gun emplacements, three of which are structurally intact, two of which have been reduced to rubble. The construction here seems to be of brick like the Winteringham site, but unlike the concrete block used at Stallingborough and Barrow Haven. Within the central area of the guns, there are at least two intact underground control bunkers. One of which is particularly overgrown, the second of which can be accessed with great care. These are show as buildings 10 and 11 on the map. Structure 13 may be another control bunker, but again due to the undergrowth and the fact that the site has clearly not been visited in years, its practically impossible to clearly determine exactly what the purpose of this building was. Underground command and control bunkers at Scunthorpe marked as locations 10 and 11 on site plan. In the distance the wooden part of structures 12 and 13 can be seen Entrance to bunker 10. Bunker 10 is accessible with care, but flooded. The roof of the bunker also has some holes in it which where probably for a chimney for a wood burner or similar. These are very difficult to see from the outside and present a hazard to any one walking over the top of the bunker. Buildings marked as 12 and 13 on the site plan. These are particularly difficult to get to due to the undergrowth that has built up over the site as a whole, but basically consists of what could be some kind of billet or store for the soldiers manning the guns. Away to the north of the site, standing away from the main gun emplacement and other buildings is a separate brick structure which has been identified elsewhere as being a 6 sleeper billet for a gun crew. Any one interested in finding out more about similar sites in the area should take a look at Rod Collins web site. As always we'd welcome additional comments, feedback, corrections and extra information regarding this or other sites, either in the comments below, or off the record to Editors@VisitScunthorpe.Com Photographs and text on this article may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes providing they are accompanied by a link to this article. Additional photographs available on request. Warning We've been asked to point out that disused military sites are dangerous, you should not visit them, or do things where you might hurt your self (like crossing the road), if you wish to visit such sites find a local history club or society so trips can be organised. Visit Scunthorpe does not encourage or endorse any one visiting these sites, nor will we be held in any way responsible for any one being stupid to do so having read one of our articles. If you are going any where good - mail us first, if you've been any where good, please send us pictures!