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Summary

Possible anti-tank obstruction along the river, perhaps part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line. Visible as an earthwork bank on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. Earthworks appear to survive and they are visible on lidar imagery captured between 1998 and 2014.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FLOOD DEFENCES? (Post Medieval to World War II - 1540 AD to 1945 AD (Between))
• RIVER DEFENCE SITE (World War II - 1940 AD to 1940 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 1424-1425 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible along the river.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359315.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible along the river.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR SY2999 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible in this location.

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

A curvilinear earthwork bank, up to circa 6 metres wide along the east side of the river, is visible on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s and on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014. It may be associated with the numerous 1940-1941 anti-tank obstacles that form part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line in this area, perhaps earlier flood banks which had subsequently been fortified in areas. A row of four anti-tank blocks (MDV50883) appears to form a barrier at a weak point in the bank. The bank appears to survive fairly intact.

Action East Devon, 2017, Axminster Remembers, http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk/axminster-stories/norma-and-delphine (Website). SDV360244.

The interviewees state that the Yarty and Axe were dredged as part of the anti-invasion preparations, and the silt was used to bank up the sides.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 1424-1425 11-APR-1947.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY2999 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
SDV359315	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948. [Mapped feature: #76571 ]
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
SDV360244	Website: Action East Devon. 2017. Axminster Remembers. http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk. Website. http://axremembers.actioneastdevon.org.uk/axminster-stories/norma-and-delphine.

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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