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Summary

Remains of roadblock visible on Royal Air Force aerial photograph, across the road close to the railway on the north-east side of Axminster. Part of the Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. Five small structures are visible on aerial photographs taken in the late 1940s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/279

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Five small structures are visible.

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

Five small structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431/3199 (Aerial Photograph). SDV109622.

Concrete blocks visible on 1948 Royal Air Force aerial photograph flanking lane circa 50 metres east of bridge over railway.

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

Site visit 15th January 1989. Road block visible at circa SY299994.

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

Twenty concrete anti-tank insertion points in the road on the south-east side of the railway line at Cloakham.

Passmore, A. + Passmore, M., 2010, The Taunton Stop Line, 2 (Leaflet). SDV345322.

A hairpin anti-tank road block, adjacent to Cloakham Lawn Sports Centre at Axminster. The dark rectangular features seen in the photograph are covers concealing sockets. When the covers were lifted, curved metal rails resembling hairpins could be positioned in the sockets to obstruct vehicular traffic. Other details: Photograph.

Hunt, D., 2011, Searchlight Site at Wyke Farm Axminster, Photo (Correspondence). SDV347066.

The Taunton Line road block at Cloakham (see DSC0 1443) has been almost completely covered over.

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

Five small structures, just over one metre in width, are visible on aerial photographs taken in the late 1940s either side of the road. They are interpreted as Second World War anti-tank blocks associated with the roadblock forming part of the Taunton Stop Line established in 1940-1941. They have been transcribed as circular in plan, although their form is hard to distinguish from the available imagery. They are not visible on later available aerial imagery although some remains may be obscured by vegetation.
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

SDV109622	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431/3199. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV345322	Leaflet: Passmore, A. + Passmore, M.. 2010. The Taunton Stop Line. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 22. A4 Folded + digital. 2.
SDV347066	Correspondence: Hunt, D.. 2011. Searchlight Site at Wyke Farm Axminster. Email. A4 Stapled + Digital. Photo.
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. [Mapped feature: #93441 ]
SDV356777	Worksheet: Hayne, D. + Weston, H.. 1996. Removable Anti-Tank Obstacles, Cloakham. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
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.
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
SDV99101	Un-published: Hellis, J.. 1990. List of Defensive Sites. Manuscript.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4919 - Site Visit to Pillboxes and Anti-Tank Obstacles Near Axminster
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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