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Summary

Pillbox enclosed on two sides by farm buildings. Visible as a structure on aerial photographs taken 1947, but the area is now obscured by tree cover. Part of the Wadbrook defence area on the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Farm buildings recorded on 19th century Ordnance Survey map and remains of Second World War pillbox, part of the Taunton Stop Line associated with Grade 2 listed Wadbrook Farmhouse

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417427
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST30SW/167

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLBOX (Built, World War II - 1940 AD to 1940 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, CPE/ UK 1974, 3421 (Aerial Photograph). SDV110669.

Polygonal pillbox visible on RAF 1947 aerial photo adjoining northwest wall of Wadbrook Farm. Covers river Axe.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 FP 1117-1118 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359646.

A six-sided structure is visible.

Wills, H., 1985, Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes, 76 (Monograph). SDV336210.

Wills lists polygonal pillbox of mixed construction facing west at ST325019.

Horner, B., 1994, Taunton Stop Line Survey (Personal Comment). SDV360458.

Site visit 4th October 1994. Location plan in HER.

Dangerfield, M. E. + Dangerfield, J., 1997, Pillbox at Wadbrook Farm (Worksheet). SDV357519.

Probably type 24 pillbox. Enclosed on two sides by farm buildings and now heavily overgrown and surrounded by building debris. Interior inaccessible. Concrete shuttered with breeze blocks. Concrete lintel to entrance. Probably brick lining to entrance.

Dobinson, C. S., 1998, The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing, 4 (Report - non-specific). SDV109230.

Pillbox S.19 of type FW3/22 with 3ft 6in thick walls.

Foot, W., 2005, Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England, DA04-Wadbrook-S0001321 (Report - Survey). SDV360266.

Wadbrook defence area. Pillbox (Type FW3/24) at Wadbrook Farm. Heavily overgrown but in fair condition.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2016-2018, The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV359463.

A small six-sided flat-roofed structure, circa 5 by 7.5 metres, is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1947. It is very likely to be the Second World War pillbox S.19 marked on Royal Engineers plans for the 1940 Taunton Stop Line. Tree cover now obscures the area.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV109230	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 1998. The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. AI/S/3. Photocopy. 4.
SDV110669	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. CPE/ UK 1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3421.
SDV336210	Monograph: Wills, H.. 1985. Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes. Pillboxes. Unknown. 76.
SDV357519	Worksheet: Dangerfield, M. E. + Dangerfield, J.. 1997. Pillbox at Wadbrook Farm. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV359463	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2016-2018. The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:2
SDV359646	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1975. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1975 FP 1117-1118 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #94498 ]
SDV360266	Report - Survey: Foot, W.. 2005. Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England. Council for British Archaeology/English Heritage. Digital. DA04-Wadbrook-S0001321.
SDV360458	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 1994. Taunton Stop Line Survey. Not Applicable.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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