Acoustic early warning systems, spectacular remnants of a dead-end technology on the British coast
The downloadable “Coastal Defence and Zeppelin Raids” chapter (number 9) of the Invasion threats and counter measures section of West Sussex County Council’s Great War West Sussex 1914-18 webpages features information on the Selsey sound mirror written by Martin Dale.
6) Kilnsea Sound Mirror: Fears of attacks on Hull during the First World War led to the construction of this concrete “sound mirror”. The dish, a precursor of radar, would focus the sounds of distant engines to a listener. It is said they could identify surface vessels or aircraft up to 25 miles away.
10 TOP secret places in Hull and East Yorkshire. Hull Daily Mail, 28 February 2015.
Rare early warning #WW1 Acoustic Mirror repairs begin. £ from @EH_NorthEast w @SunderlandUK. #Fulwell #HeritageatRisk pic.twitter.com/qWgKlgrsRh
— EH North East Advice (@EH_NorthEast) February 13, 2015
Lewis Dyson reports on the Warden Point sound mirror for Kent Online on 20 January 2015: A sound mirror used to detect enemy aircraft is in danger of being washed away in Warden Bay, Sheppey.
Lancashire duo Aquilo‘s EP “Human” released on 8 December 2014 features the Abbot’s Cliff sound mirror (and other locations around Folkestone) in two videos.
The song is “based around the idea of a delicate relationship that was slowly coming to an end and eventually finding a solace in the fact it had ended”, according to an article at Pigeons and Planes. It’s perhaps not the most cheerful ditty, but does have a sound mirror.
The videos were directed by Eoin Glaister and filmed in November. Make up artist Anna Inglis Hall tweeted this picture:
Nice sound mirror mate pic.twitter.com/OZvzKnqp94
— Anna Inglis Hall MUA (@AnnaInglisHall) November 15, 2014
Last year psych-rock quartet Syd Arthur featured the Abbot’s Cliff mirror on the cover of their album, “Sound Mirror.
A recording of an aircraft passing over the sound mirror at Fulwell in Sunderland. It was made by Sound Designer Tim Shaw on 28 July 2014 using a Sound Devices 552 and Sennheiser MKH 418 p48 (stereo shotgun) pointed directly into the centre of the mirror.
A last location shot of those 'sound mirrors' at Fan Hole on the White Cliff @andrew_grantham pic.twitter.com/KEv0jmSFoK
— Fergus Murray (@FergusMMurray) December 8, 2014
Janet Street-Porter mentions the sound mirrors – and this website – in The Independent newspaper on 15 November 2014.
“We’re in danger of losing these wartime relics” … “You can see more images on the website of enthusiast Andrew Grantham”.
Binbury and Thurnham got there first!. Two letters about sound mirrors from The Independent newspaper of 29 October 2014.
Hythe Civic Society has reprinted Richard N Scarth’s “highly acclaimed” 1999 book Echoes from the Sky, with additional material from his research. More details.
Echoes from the Sky is the definitive book on the subject, and it is well worth getting hold of of copy if you don’t already have one.