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Summary

Second World War pillbox visible as a six sided flat roofed structure on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1956. It is partially obscured by tree or scrub growth on the most recent photographs taken in 2006, and its survival is not clear from the available images. Part of the Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417514
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SE/166

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLBOX (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Pillbox marked on Royal Engineer's plan as S.78.

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

A small structure is visible.

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

Pillbox visible on 1947 RAF aerial photo at about SY26159270.

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

A small structure is visible.

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

Wills lists polygonal west facing pillbox at SY262927.

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

Pillbox of type 22 Ngr SY262927.

Horner, B., 1993, Weycroft Site Visit (Personal Comment). SDV356798.

Site visit 6th February 1992. Pillbox visible from road. Slightly overgrown but intact.

Horner, W., 1994, East Devon Pillboxes (Personal Comment). SDV356839.

Site visit 16th March 1994. Hexagonal pillbox of type FW3/22. Brick-clad concrete construction. West facing.

Cochrane, J. N., 1996, Pillbox West of Boshill Cross (Worksheet). SDV356827.

Type 24 Pillbox of reinforced concrete with breeze block external and brick internal shuttering. Partly covered in brambles, external breeze blocks eroding and exposing concrete. Corrugated iron used for roof shuttering. 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.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1289 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Pillbox visible on 1947 Aerial Photograph. May represent pillbox recorded on ground at SY 262 927. Part of Taunton Stop Line.
SMR.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2692 17-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352652.

The area is obscured by tree or scrub growth.

THE DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION, 2008, WWII Pill Boxes in the Axe Valley, 2, 12, 13 (Report - Survey). SDV347565.

Pillbox S78. A type 22, except for the gun ports which have been widened internally. 15 inch concrete walls with 4 inch breeze block outer skin. The blocks are now in poor condition. Its internal baffle wall is built in accordance with the Southern Command standard drawing for a type 22 but which must have rather restricted movement of the gunners at three of the five ports. Other details: Photo, plan and section.

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 six sided flat roofed structure roughly 5 by 5 metres in size on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1956. It is partially obscured by tree or scrub growth on the most recent photographs taken in 2006, and its survival is not clear from the available images. The structure is depicted on the modern base mapping so has not been transcribed.

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

Hexagonal pillbox depicted.

Sources / Further Reading

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.
SDV347565	Report - Survey: THE DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION. 2008. WWII Pill Boxes in the Axe Valley. Devonshire Association. Digital + A4. 2, 12, 13.
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. 1289.
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.
SDV352652	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SY2692 17-JUN-2006.
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.
SDV356798	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 1993. Weycroft Site Visit. Not Applicable.
SDV356827	Worksheet: Cochrane, J. N.. 1996. Pillbox West of Boshill Cross. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV356839	Personal Comment: Horner, W.. 1994. East Devon Pillboxes.
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. [Mapped feature: #90264 ]
SDV99101	Un-published: Hellis, J.. 1990. List of Defensive Sites. Manuscript.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5167 - Survey of Pillboxes in the Axe Valley
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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