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World War II Coastal battery forming part of the coastal defences around Lossiemouth, Remains of two 6- gun emplacements, three engine rooms, two searchlight emplacements, observation post and forward and main magazines. A line of anti-tank blocks and pill-boxes runs in front of and west and east (NJ36NW0008) from the battery, those to the west continuing inland to a subsidiary channel of the Innes Canal. To the south was the accommodation camp (NJ26NE0043). The battery was one of the emergency batteries erected in 1940-1, the only one in Scotland built to defend a beach. Battery site visited by AOC in February 2009, with condition of features recorded. Searchlight emplacement at NJ 2799 6796: 5.8 x 3m, constructed of concrete, entrance to the rear at the southeast corner. Its front towards the sea is open, but could have been shut using panels, as metal hooks which would have secured them were identified. The locations of the electrical system are visible on the back wall. Engine House at NJ 2798 6794, built to supply power to searchlight emplacement. It measures 5 x 4m, has two windows, and inside the building are concrete mountings for the engine with metal bolts where it could have been fastened. Original camouflage paint is still visible. Gun emplacement at NJ 2810 6791. Built mainly of shuttered concrete with brick walls in the interior, specifically at the rear of the gun platform. The concrete canopy is intact and the leading edge is shaped in two inverse curves. A small portion of the low front wall has been removed. The apron to the front has had angular rocks and stones placed in the concrete to aid camouflage. The emplacement has some recent graffiti and a fire raised on the central bolt ring. Shelter and Communication trenches at NJ 2810 6786. The shuttered concrete shelter is set at a lower level than the gun emplacements, measures 6.3 x 4.4m with a flat roof and protected entrances at the north and south with external low capped blast walls. The building is connected to both gun emplacements by a communication/supply trench or sunken path system which survives to a depth of 0.9m. Main Engine Room at NJ 2814 6783, to supply power to the 2 gun emplacements and shelter, is set into a sand dune and measures circa 4.3m x 3.4m with one bay and entrance on the S elevation. The interior has an engine bed (mounting) on concrete floor, constructed of reinforced concrete in two parts with bolt holes set on top. Externally at the southeast end is a chimney, presumably for the exhaust from the diesel engine. The original camouflage paint is visible on all the walls. Battery Observation Post at NJ 2823 6784, situated near the top of the first line of sand dunes, southeast of No.1 gun emplacement. Constructed of concrete with interior walls of brick, it measures 6.9m x 5.4m. The viewing platform has a canopy supported by a heavy steel beam with the leading edge having a semi-scalloped effect. There are two interior rooms, both of which have retained paint below what was the shelf line. On the viewing platform is the square concrete base of the ranging equipment of which 5 metal bolts survive. Several metal posts and wires are located outside the building which would probably have held some of the camouflage of the building. Machine gun emplacement at NJ 2798 6790, consisting of embankments which measure circa 3m in diameter and circa 1m in height. The sites western side is level. Whether this is due to the removal of the embankment or the side functioning as an entrance cannot be determined. The fabric of the sandbags used in its construction is partially preserved. Machine gun emplacement at NJ 2820 6781, situated on top of a high sand bank in the eastern part of the military camp. It consists of circa 1m wide and 3m long pit for the operator of the gun with an entrance trench located in the back which is circa 0.5m wide. Metal mesh has been placed on top of the embankments in order to stabilise them. Two defensive embankments of sand 1m high at NJ 2824 6780 and NJ 2830 6778. The rectangular pillbox and surrounding anti-tank blocks at NJ 28057 67970, the hexagonal pillbox at NJ 26697 68409 and the roadblock at NJ 25586 68174 were all surveyed and laser-scanned by AOC Archaeology in 2016. The rectangular pillbox on the beach was recorded as being in a generally good condition. The hexagonal pillbox and roadblock were also recorded as being in a good conditions, although the trees are encroaching. One of the anti-tank blocks by the hexagonal pillbox has been shattered.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Moray
HER -
NJ26NE0015 - INNES LINKS