1993: During WWII this entire area was a coastal artillery site with two 4.7" guns made in Japan in 1918. This emplacement, No. 2, still stands at the back of the beach but has been converted to "The Two Sugars" cafe.<1> One photo of site.<2>

2007: SITE ASSESSMENT:
During World War Two, there were two 4.7-inch coastal artillery batteries on Mersea Island, one at the east end of the island (SMRs 10026 – 10033) and one here, at West Mersea. Both comprised two guns, each in its own casemate, a Battery Observation Post, horizontally-aimed searchlights and pillboxes. At West Mersea, one of the gun casemates and a searchlight emplacement still survive.

4.7-inch gun casemates and their attendant coastal artillery searchlight emplacements are now very rare. This is the sole remaining gun casemate of this type in Essex. There are only four surviving coastal artillery searchlight emplacements in the county. In the top layer of WWII archaeology and an important part of the history and heritage of Essex, every effort should be made to ensure their continued survival, ultimately with statutory protection.

See also <3>.