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Summary

Second World War defences enclosing an area around the east side of Axe bridge are visible as structures and earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947. The structural remains appear to have been removed soon after the war ended, but earthworks of almost all sections of the ditch and banks remain visible on images derived from Lidar data flown in 2006. Part of the Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Pill boxes, anti-tank ditches and obstacles, World War II at the Boshill Cross Stong Point of the Taunton Stop Line, a defensive crossing on the River Axe

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417476
• National Monuments Record: 1417487
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (Constructed, World War II - 1940 AD to 1940 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1412, RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3357-3358 13-APR-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352504.

An extensive linear barrier of banks, ditches and structures is visible as earthworks and probable concrete blocks and scaffold.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Anti-tank ditches with associated anti-tank obstacles encircling a large area to the east of Axe Bridge at Boshill. The ditches are clearest on the south side of the A3052

Royal Air Force, 1947, CPE/UK/1974/2493 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361972.

Probable anti-tank ditch visible on 1947 aerial photographs. Part of Taunton Stop Line. Encloses the bridgehead on east side of River Axe at the Axe Bridge crossing. It runs from circa SY25959236-SY26309238-SY26409278-SY25909301. Part lies in Colyton Parish. It comprises mostly ditch with flanking banks, but concrete block obstacles visible where the ditch adjoins roads (SY26179234, SY26409268, SY26239278). A stretch of concrete blocks runs through orchard at Boshill and the stretch of defence from SY26209280-SY26079301 seems to be formed by a circa 5 metre deep belt of smaller (?) concrete posts or barbed-wire fencing.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 2493-2494 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

An extensive linear barrier of banks, ditches and structures is visible as earthworks and probable concrete blocks and scaffold.

Royal Air Force, 1956, RAF/82/1437, RAF/82/1437 97-98 08-JUN-1956 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356393.

The earthwork ditches and the line of the possible scaffolding are visible, but the row of anti-tank cubes is not visible.

Horner, W., 1994, The Taunton Stop Line (Un-published). SDV358963.

The bridgehead defences on the east side of Axe Bridge were surrounded by an anti-tank ditch. This would have been about 5m wide and 2.5m deep. It is clearly visible on 1946 aerial photos. Concrete obstacles were used where it was impractical to dig a ditch.

Cochrane, J. N., 1997, Traces of Anti-Tank Ditch, Boshill Cross (Worksheet). SDV356911.

Field marks show faint traces of anti tank ditch, 200 metres south of Boshill/Tanyard Cross. Part of the Boshill Cross 'hedgehog'.

Environment Agency, 1998-2007, Lidar data JPEG SY29SE DSM, LIDAR SY29SE DSM Environment Agency 1998-2007 (Cartographic). SDV356413.

The line of the anti-invasion ditch, and some of the banks, is clearly visible as an earthwork.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1293 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Probable anti-tank ditch visible on 1947 Aerial Photographs. Runs circa SY2595 9236-SY2630 9238-SY 2640 9278-SY 2590 9301. Encloses bridge head on east side of River Axe at Axe Bridge. Mostly ditch and banks but some concrete blocks at road junctions and in orchard at Boshill. Part of Taunton Stop Line. SMR.

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

Second World War defences enclose a large area to the east of Axe bridge, forming a roughly semi-circular ring of obstacles up to 500m east and 350 metres north and south of the bridge. The structural and earthwork features are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947. The major part of the obstacle consists of a deep ditch up to 5 metres in width flanked by low banks up to 7 metres in width; between SY2621192810 and SY2642492784 it appears that the ditch has been constructed behind pre-existing field boundaries. Two sections of structural obstacles link the ditches, including a row of anti-tank blocks running north to south through an orchard at SY2640792741, and a gridlike structure of 5 metres in width crossing three fields between SY2605893010 and SY2620092808, interpreted as anti-tank scaffolding. Two probable concrete anti-tank blocks had been placed at each of the breaks where the scaffold crossed the field boundary ditches, and concrete blocks also appear to have been placed at the end of other stretches of ditch where they meet roads and the river. The structural remains appear to have been removed soon after the war ended, although the route of the possible scaffold is clearly visible in 1956, but earthworks of almost all sections of the ditch and banks remain visible on images derived from Lidar data flown in 2006.
There are three pre-existing HER records for some of the structures and earthworks that comprise this obstacle (MDV47881, MDV47882, MDV47883); they have not been altered significantly as part of this project but are linked to this as ‘child’ HER records. [MDV47881 deleted 14th January 2019]

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

Sources / Further Reading

SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
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
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. 1293.
SDV352504	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1412. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/1412 RP 3357-3358 13-APR-1946.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 2493-2494 11-APR-1947. [Mapped feature: #66016 ]
SDV356393	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1956. RAF/82/1437. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/82/1437 97-98 08-JUN-1956.
SDV356413	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2007. Lidar data JPEG SY29SE DSM. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY29SE DSM Environment Agency 1998-2007.
SDV356911	Worksheet: Cochrane, J. N.. 1997. Traces of Anti-Tank Ditch, Boshill Cross. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. ACD618/4/3. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV358963	Un-published: Horner, W.. 1994. The Taunton Stop Line. A4 Single Sheet + Digital.
SDV361972	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. CPE/UK/1974/2493. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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