The first building encountered by the main gate is the Battery Observation Post. This was the nerve centre for the Battery. It consisted of a twin storey building with a wide operational field of view, and contained all the equipment used to control the battery when in action or alert.

The complement of five soldiers, including the Battery Commander, operated the high precision range finders housed in the upper story and maintained communications with the gun and searchlight emplacements.

A large and very accurate Barr & Stroud range finder was housed in the lower part of the building. The post was in communication with the guns and searchlight emplacements by phone and loudspeaker;with signal indicator lights could also be used to convey certain instructions.

Entry Name: Battery Observation Post Battery Gardens

Listing Date: 11 July 1997

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1119691

English Heritage Legacy ID: 469188

Battery Observation Post. 1940. Reinforced concrete.

Two-storey building, with steps down to balcony at first-floor level, entered from NW side; cantilevered roof over balcony, which views out to sea (NE); entrance to ground floor immediately below, with the wide opening beneath balcony.

The Battery Observation Post is set into the cliff so that its flat roof is level with the road (North Furzeham Road). High precision range finders were housed in the upper storey, which acted as the centre of communications with the searchlights positions and guns. A Bar and Stroud range finder was housed in the lower part of the building.

This building formed the operational focal point of the Emergency Coastal Defence Battery, which was one of many erected in 1940 to provide additional protection to harbour installations. It survives in a remarkable state of preservation, with searchlight and gun positions.