Summary

Pillbox (destroyed)

Full description

A plan of the wartime defences along the seafront at Clacton-on-Sea (see SMR 21178) shows a pillbox, annotated ‘J’, at the point where a breakwater joins the promenade. This position is directly opposite what was, at the time, Passmore Edwards House standing between Connaught Gardens East and First Avenue. <1>

In July 1941 aerial photographs were taken of the seafront and at the junction of the breakwater and promenade is what appears to be an hexagonal structure, clearly the pillbox. <2>

An OS map dated 1971 shows the promenade end of the breakwater as a half-hexagonal. This would have been the remains of the pillbox base after it had been cleared away at the end of the war. <3>

In January 2007, the entire stretch of the seawall has been reprofiled and nothing remains to be seen of the seafront pillboxes.

<1> CRE, Colchester - WDLA, N. Essex, 1944, Dwg. No. 1908, July 1944 (Map). SEX67942.

<2> RAF, 1941, S346-50, July 1941 (AP). SEX67891.

<3> Ordnance Survey, unknown, 1:1250 OS Post War National Grid, TM1815 (Map). SEX64245.

Monument Types

• PILLBOX (WWII, Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Events

• WWII Defences of Clacton - Fred Nash visits January 2007 (Ref: Nash TEN Jan 2007)

Sources and further reading

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