See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A row of pale blocks on the eastern side of the Pill is visible on an aerial photograph taken in 1975. They are they are not visible on aerial photographs dating to 1959 or 1980 and are interpreted as relocated Second World War anti-tank cubes which may have been re-used as a stock barrier. It is not clear where they were originally sited, and they have since been removed perhaps incorporated into sea defences.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43SE/258

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1959, RAF 58/2773 F22, NMR RAF/58/2773 F22 0038-0039 29-APR-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349838.

No anti-tank cubes are visible along the Pill or in the immediate area.

Cambridge University, 1975, CUCAP BTS, DCC CUCAP BTS008 03-JUL-1975 (Aerial Photograph). SDV2407.

A row of anti-tank cubes is visible along the eastern side of the Pill.

Meridian Airmaps Limited, 1980, MAL/80037, MAL/80037 001 29-NOV-1980 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349839.

No anti-tank cubes are visible along the Pill or in the immediate area.

Horner, W., 1996, Anti-Tank Obstacles at Appledore Bridge (Worksheet). SDV357258.

Single row of concrete anti-tank blocks visible on 1975 cambridge aerial photograph. Run for roughly 100 metres along south bank of The Pill at Appledore Bridge. Not clear if here on RAF 1946 aerial photograph coverage and so there is always the possibility that they are resited blocks from elsewhere on the burrows.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011 - 2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A row of anti-tank blocks visible on an aerial photograph taken in 1975 are not visible on aerial photographs dating to 1959. On the 1970s aerial photographs the Pill has been recently cleared out and the blocks seem to be sited on top of the resulting spoil on the east side of the channel, indicating that they had been moved to this location some time after the end of the Second World War. They are located very close together, perhaps intentionally in order to form a livestock barrier between the fields and the water channel. It is not clear where they were originally sited and there is no evidence of anti-tank cubes in the immediate area. The blocks are not visible on aerial photographs dating to 1980 and may have been relocated once again; there are several possible examples painted white on Northam Burrows.

Hegarty, C. & Knight, S., 2012-2013, North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project site visit, 19-FEB-2013 (Site Visit). SDV349357.

Pointed structures, painted white, are set into the ground along the road on the east of Northam Burrows, and could be relocated dragon's teeeth concrete obstacles.

Passmore, A. J., 2013, Northam Burrows FEP Consultation Pro-forma (Report - non-specific). SDV356811.

A single obstacle survives, buried upside down, in the field boundary at SS 45177 30349. The obstacle may have blocked the road leading from the marshes at Appledore Bridge. The surviving obstacle is of the same type as those recorded elsewhere (see AC7). Further defensive features are present in the field boundary, and may be of Second World War date. West of the road, extending from SS45392 30487 to SS 44947 30090 are old fence posts comprising L-shaped beams, circular tubes, and rarely small I-beams and full height pigs-tail posts. Some fragments of barbed wire may also be of the same date. East of the road early fence posts comprise widely-spaced I-beams and a single pigs-tail post.

Knight, S., 2013-2015, Land Management Case Work (Personal Comment). SDV351543.

Numerous dragon's teeth have been used in the sea defences at the northern tip of Northam Burrows, probably constructed in the 1980s. It is possible that these were sourced from the Pill.

Passmore, A., 2014, Northam Burrows, Northam, Devon: Higher Level Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey, 5-7; Figures 2, 7; Plate 4; Appendix 1.3 (Report - Survey). SDV356810.

One of a series of anti-invasion defences located above the foreshore of Northam Burrows and inland on the southern edge of the burrows.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV2407	Aerial Photograph: Cambridge University. 1975. CUCAP BTS. Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Photograph (Paper). DCC CUCAP BTS008 03-JUL-1975. [Mapped feature: #95311 ]
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011 - 2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349357	Site Visit: Hegarty, C. & Knight, S.. 2012-2013. North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project site visit. ND AONB NMP. Digital. 19-FEB-2013.
	Linked images:24
SDV349838	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1959. RAF 58/2773 F22. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/2773 F22 0038-0039 29-APR-1959.
SDV349839	Aerial Photograph: Meridian Airmaps Limited. 1980. MAL/80037. Meridian Airmaps Limited Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). MAL/80037 001 29-NOV-1980.
SDV351543	Personal Comment: Knight, S.. 2013-2015. Land Management Case Work.
SDV356810	Report - Survey: Passmore, A.. 2014. Northam Burrows, Northam, Devon: Higher Level Stewardship Scheme Archaeological Survey. AC Archaeology. CD760/2/3. A4 Bound + Digital. 5-7; Figures 2, 7; Plate 4; Appendix 1.3.
SDV356811	Report - non-specific: Passmore, A. J.. 2013. Northam Burrows FEP Consultation Pro-forma. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
SDV357258	Worksheet: Horner, W.. 1996. Anti-Tank Obstacles at Appledore Bridge. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project
• EDV6518 - Archaeological Survey of Northam Burrows (Ref: ACD760)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.