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Summary

A Second World War pillbox is located on the cliff edge to the north of Branscombe Beach. The structure is visible on aerial photographs of the 1940s onwards.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417380
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY28NW/66

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLBOX (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV98896.

Des=hellis, j. /ms list of defensive sites(1990)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV98897.

Ntas/branscombe and salcombe regis, devon/(1984)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV98898.

Des=photograph (hellis, j. )/(24/10/1989)/hellis site 00180/photocopy in smr.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV98899.

Aph=raf/106g/uk/1412/3197/(13/4/1946)/smr 45/21.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV98900.

Des=horner, b. /(27/9/1995)/as above.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV98901.

Wills, h. /pillboxes/(1985)74.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 3196-3197 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

A square structure is visible.

Wills, H., 1985, Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes (Monograph). SDV336210.

Vis=estimated -/-/1988 (hellis). Pillbox of local pattern, oblong with two gunports on each long side, four gunports made for vickers machine gun though size would severely limit field of fire (hellis). Vis=1/9/1992 (dick) as above. Vis=-/-/1984 (nt) two wwii pillboxes, strategically placed at branscombe mouth as part of south coast defences. One stands at sy20668814, the other at sy20668813. The buildings are of concrete blocks, squarish in plan, with characteristic small windows. They are set into the slope. Restoration of these is currently being planned (ntas). Vis=pillbox is visible on 1946 raf ap, covering branscombe beach and its defences (crf:sy28nw/58) from the e side. It appears to have had a defensive perimeter to the rear (see subsheet). The above nt ngrs would appear to be slightly incorrect (horner). Vis=wills lists square, s facing concrete pillbox at sy210880 (wills).

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SY2088_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2735 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Pillbox. Survives.
SMR.

Passmore, A. + Passmore, M., 2010, Second World War Pillboxes, 2 (Leaflet). SDV345308.

One of three pillboxes that guarded Branscombe Mouth. Only two are extant.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A Second World War pillbox is visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as a structure on the coastal cliff edge overlooking the beach at Branscombe Mouth. The structure remains clearly visible and appears to be in good condition on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012, albeit with some vegetation growing on the roof of the pillbox. Access or steps are visible to the rear (north) of the structure but it is unclear if these are part of the original structure.

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336210	Monograph: Wills, H.. 1985. Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes. Pillboxes. Unknown.
SDV345308	Leaflet: Passmore, A. + Passmore, M.. 2010. Second World War Pillboxes. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 13. A4 Folded. 2.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SY2088_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012.
SDV351568	Archive - Survey: Exeter Archaeology. 2003-2004. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey. Digital + Mixed Archive Material. Site No. 2735.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 3196-3197 13-APR-1946.
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV98896	Migrated Record:
SDV98897	Migrated Record:
SDV98898	Migrated Record:
SDV98899	Aerial Photograph:
SDV98900	Migrated Record:
SDV98901	Migrated Record:

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4917 - Site Visit to World War II Pillboxes at Branscombe
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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