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Summary

Pillbox close to river visible as a structure on aerial photographs taken between 1946 and 1976. It was obscured by scrub and tree growth in 2012 but is likely to survive relatively extant. Part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417508
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29SE/234

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.85.

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

A five sided building is visible.

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

Pillbox visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1976, OS/76074, NMR OS/76074 272-273 28-MAY-1976 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356206.

A small structure is visible.

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

Wills lists polygonal west facing pillbox of mixed construction at SY257913.

Cochrane, J. N., 1996, Pillbox North of Coronation Corner, Axmouth (Worksheet). SDV356914.

Type 24 pillbox with brick shuttering, partly submerged in brambles. Located on the bank of the Axe estuary, 300 metres north of Coronation Corner.

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.

This area is completey obscured by trees or scrub.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1220 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Pillbox visible on 1947 Aerial Photograph. May represent pillbox recorded on ground at SY 257 913. Part of Taunton Stop Line.
SMR.

THE DEVONSHIRE ASSOCIATION, 2008, WWII Pill Boxes in the Axe Valley, 25-26 (Report - Survey). SDV347565.

Other details: Photos, section and plan.

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 5 sides, is circa 6 by 6 metres, and is completely obscured by scrub on later available aerial photographs including those taken in 2012. 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.

Structure shown in corner of field by river.

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. 25-26.
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.
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. 1220.
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. [Mapped feature: #93493 ]
SDV356206	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1976. OS/76074. Ordnance Survey Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR OS/76074 272-273 28-MAY-1976.
SDV356914	Worksheet: Cochrane, J. N.. 1996. Pillbox North of Coronation Corner, Axmouth. 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.

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)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.