The defence area around Wadbrook formed part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. The River Axe formed the main anti-tank obstacle together with road and rail blocks and two lines of pillboxes. See associated monuments for details of individual sites, buildings and features.
The Wadbrook Defence Area formed part of the Taunton Stop Line. It lies broadly north and south of Wadbrook with the Blackwater River to the north, the River Axe and the railway to the west and the hills to the east of the river valley. The River Axe formed the main anti-tank obstacle; its banks were cut back to make them steeper and anti-tank ditches were added across the bases of its outward (west) facing loops. Road and railblocks were also set up at river crossings and further roadblocks were established in the lanes to the east of the river. Lighter infantry pillboxes were established close to the river with heavy machine gun emplacements on the hills. A Royal Engineer's map made in 1940 shows the defence works constructed in the area, many of which still survive.
The surviving defences of the Wadbrook Defence Area which include pillboxes and a road block are considered to be of national importance. The area provides a good example of the riverside anti-tank defences of the Taunton Stop Line and also demonstrates well defence in depth with the two lines of gun emplacements. It is recommended that consideration be given to the establishment of a pillbox walk through the area.
See report for more information and associated monuments for details of individual defences.
Passmore, A. + Passmore, M., 2010, Second World War Pillboxes, 3 (Leaflet). SDV345308.
| MDV120244 | Parent of: Anti Tank Cubes circa 260 metres south of Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48669 | Parent of: Anti-Tank ditch circa circa 240 metres south of Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48676 | Parent of: Anti-Tank Ditch near Broome Cottage, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48668 | Parent of: Anti-Tank Ditch to west of Wadbrook Coppice, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV120243 | Parent of: Anti-Tank Gun Position and Roadblock circa 375 metres south of Wadbrook Cross (Monument) |
| MDV120023 | Parent of: Anti-tank Gun Position, Fortfield, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48671 | Parent of: Anti-Tank Obstacle circa 90 metres south of Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV63104 | Parent of: Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV120027 | Parent of: Axe Gates Level Crossing, Chardstock (Monument) |
| MDV52937 | Parent of: Pillbox S.16 to north-east of Broome Cottage, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48679 | Parent of: Pillbox S.17 circa 246 metres north-east of Wadbrook Cross, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV52938 | Parent of: Pillbox S.18 circa 223 metres north-west of Wadbrook Cross, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV52940 | Parent of: Pillbox S.19 at Wadbrook Farm, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48672 | Parent of: Pillbox S.21 circa 150 metres south-west of Wadbrook Cross, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48670 | Parent of: Pillbox S.23 circa 285 metres south of Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48677 | Parent of: Pillbox S.V.1 to north-west of Fortfield, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48678 | Parent of: Pillbox S.V.2 to south-west of Fortfield, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48673 | Parent of: Pillbox S.V.3 circa 326 metres metres south-east of Wadbrook Cross, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48674 | Parent of: Pillbox S.V.4 circa 362 metres south-east of Wadbrook Cross, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48667 | Parent of: Pillbox west of Wadbrook Coppice, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV119767 | Parent of: Possible Anti-tank Obstacle north and south of Axe Bridge, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV52939 | Parent of: Railblock S.RL. 26 to north-west of Wadbrook Farm, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV48680 | Parent of: Roadblock S.RD. 51 at Axe Bridge to the south-west of Wadbrook (Monument) |
| MDV120025 | Parent of: Roadblock to south of Fortfield, Hawkchurch (Monument) |
| MDV120024 | Parent of: Roadbock at Damas Lawn Bridge, Thorncombe (Monument) |
| MDV119535 | Part of: Taunton Stop Line (Monument) |