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Summary

Pillbox on the west side of the B3172 overlooking Axe Marsh. Part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. Visible as a six sided structure on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 2012. It seemed to be still in relatively good condition in 2012.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Second World War Pill box structure, part of Taunton Stop Line defences on east side of the Axe Estuary

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417506
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SE/157
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Engineers, 1940, Plans of Taunton Stop Line, LXXXIII NE (Cartographic). SDV325259.

Pillbox marked on Royal Engineer's plan as S.84.

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

A pale six sided structure is visible.

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

Visible at circa SY25939180. Appears to be a polygonal type FW3/24.

Unknown, 1970s, Axe Estuary (Aerial Photograph). SDV100027.

Pillbox visible.

Horner, B., 1985, Pillbox to east of Axe Marsh (Personal Comment). SDV362779.

Site vist 24th September 1995. Type 24 pillbox visible in northeast corner of field. Viewed from tramway on other side of river. Appears to be largely brick construction.

Wills, H., 1985, Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes, 74 (Monograph). SDV336210.

Wills lists polygonal west-facing pillbox of mixed construction at SY258917.

Hellis, J., 1990, List of Defensive Sites (Un-published). SDV99101.

Pillbox of Type 28 Ngr SY258917.

Cochrane, J. N., 1996, Pillbox Adjacent to the B3172 (Worksheet). SDV356834.

Type 24 pillbox adjacent to the B3172 road 600 metres north of Axmouth. Half recessed in ground, foundations eroding exposing steel reinforcing rods. Photo.

Dobinson, C. S., 1998, The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing, 5 (Report - non-specific). SDV109230.

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

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, CCO SY2591_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

A six sided structure is visible.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1218 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Pillbox visible on 1947 Aerial Photograph. May represent pillbox recorded on ground at SY 258 917. 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.

This pillbox, part of the Taunton Stop Line, is visible as a small flat roofed structure on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1976. It appears to have 6 sides, and measures circa 6 by 6 metres. It was obscured by scrub on more recent aerial photographs but by 2012 the structure appears to have been mostly cleared. Its depiction on modern mapping does not match the extent visible on the aerial photographs, so it has been transcribed.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Six-sided structure shown.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV100027	Aerial Photograph: Unknown. 1970s. Axe Estuary. Unknown.
SDV109230	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 1998. The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. AI/S/3. Photocopy. 5.
SDV325259	Cartographic: Royal Engineers. 1940. Plans of Taunton Stop Line. Royal Engineers Survey Plan circa July 1940. Unknown. LXXXIII NE.
SDV336210	Monograph: Wills, H.. 1985. Wills, H. 1985 Pillboxes. Pillboxes. Unknown. 74.
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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. CCO SY2591_20120917ortho.ecw 17-SEP-2012. [Mapped feature: #90256 ]
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. 1218.
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.
SDV356834	Worksheet: Cochrane, J. N.. 1996. Pillbox Adjacent to the B3172. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV361972	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. CPE/UK/1974/2493. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV362729	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2019. MasterMap 2019. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV362779	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 1985. Pillbox to east of Axe Marsh. Not Applicable.
SDV99101	Un-published: Hellis, J.. 1990. List of Defensive Sites. Manuscript.

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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