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Summary

Rows of concrete anti-tank obstacles are visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. A few may survive but most seem to have been removed prior to 1976. Part of the Axminster fortified area on the Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/270

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (Constructed, World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Not recorded on Royal Engineer's plans.

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

Row of concrete anti-tank obstacles visible running north from the lane [to the sports centre] and turning west to block the railway line. Part of the Axminster fortified area on the Taunton Stop Line.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

Several rows of small pale structures are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1976, OS/76051, OS/76051 V 017-018 08-MAY-1976 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359323.

The structures along Mill Brook are not visible.

Horner, B., 1995, Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit (Site Visit). SDV348813.

The obstacles appear to have been demolished, although the undergrowth is quite dense. New housing now occupies most of the area west of Mill Brook.

Hayne, D. + Weston, H., 1996, Defence of Britain Worksheet (Worksheet). SDV325639.

A line of concrete posts about 8 feet high set in concrete. These have been removed from their original position and placed at the edge of a field (SY2999993).

Hayne, D. + Weston, H., 1996, Removable Anti-Tank Obstacles, Cloakham (Worksheet). SDV356777.

Horner, B., 1997, Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit (Site Visit). SDV348814.

At least three concrete anti-tank cubes are still standing on the west bank of the Millbrook at the end of a garden. They appear to be of the 5 feet/1.5 metre type.

Blackwell, R., 2009, Cloakham Lawns, Axminster, Devon: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment, 12, 13, 21, Fig 2, 8, 13 (Report - Assessment). SDV347557.

During the early part of the Second World War linear defensive lines, Stop Lines, were implemented to resist invasion. Stop lines enhanced existing topographic features with added defensive elements such as pillboxes, anti-tank blocks, and road and rail blocks and were essentially prepared battlefields. The Taunton Stop Line ran circa 71 kilometres from Bridgewater in Somerset to Amouth, Devon. It principally followed the natural barriers of the River Axe and River Parrett, as well as the artificial linear barrier of principal railway lines. The defense was never fully implemented, as defensive strategy changed from linear defence to the defence of key areas.
Within the site, anti-tank cubes at the western edge of the site formed part of a group defending the bridge crossing the Yeovil Junction and Exeter Railway. An anti-tank ditch also defended the route from Chard Road to the railway crossing. Most of the anti-tank cubes within the site have been removed but one remains in the hedgerow at the site boundary. The anti-tank ditch has been filled in and the pillbox has been removed. One additional WWII site is recorded in the study area, Millway Rise US military hospital, located to the east of the site.

Pillbox Study Group, 2012, WWII Defence Sites, e24885 (Un-published). SDV357880.

Railblock. Horizontal rail and asociated Anti Tank Blocks

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SY2999 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

Two rectangular structures are visible.

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

A row of small structures, just over one metre in width, are visible on aerial photographs taken in the late 1940s either side of the railway line at circa 329966,99330 and running south to the road at circa 329970,99295. They are interpreted as anti-tank obstacles forming part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line established in 1940-1941, that here defend the railway line. They have been transcribed as circular in plan, although their form is hard to distinguish from the available imagery, and they may actually have been rectangular; two rectangular structures, one either side of the railway, are visible on modern aerial photographs and may be surviving blocks.
South-east of these, a further interrupted row of structures is visible running for over 250 metres along the south-west side of Mill Brook. These features were no longer visible on aerial photographs taken from 1976 onwards indicating their removal in the middle part of the 20th century.
The 1940s RAF prints held by Historic England have been recorded here as additional sources because there is a possibility that the prints may have been processed differently to those held by Devon County Council. This would potentially result in images on which archaeological features show slightly differently.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325259	Cartographic: Royal Engineers. 1940. Plans of Taunton Stop Line. Royal Engineers Survey Plan circa July 1940. Unknown.
SDV325639	Worksheet: Hayne, D. + Weston, H.. 1996. Defence of Britain Worksheet. Worksheet.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV347557	Report - Assessment: Blackwell, R.. 2009. Cloakham Lawns, Axminster, Devon: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. Cotswold Archaeology Report. 08205. A4 Stapled + Digital. 12, 13, 21, Fig 2, 8, 13.
SDV348813	Site Visit: Horner, B.. 1995. Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit. Taunton Stop Line Survey. Not Applicable.
SDV348814	Site Visit: Horner, B.. 1997. Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit. Taunton Stop Line Survey. Not Applicable.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). [Mapped features: #93116 ; #93117 ]
SDV356777	Worksheet: Hayne, D. + Weston, H.. 1996. Removable Anti-Tank Obstacles, Cloakham. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV357880	Un-published: Pillbox Study Group. 2012. WWII Defence Sites. Digital. e24885.
SDV359323	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1976. OS/76051. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). OS/76051 V 017-018 08-MAY-1976.
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
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SY2999 08-SEP-2014.

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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