Firing Butts

It's amazing what lurks in the woods near our house. I was aware that a battalion had used the Heath at some point.

Tucked away, out of site is this wall. This appears to be the only sign that the battalion were ever here.

This is the firing butt. This was part of a firing range that extended 800 yards. The sandy valley acted as a butt to stop stray bullets and musket balls. It formed part of the military training area that dated back to napoleonic times and was still in use in the early 20th century. The area was used to train troops from Ipswich Barracks and the nearby parade ground on rushmere heath.