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Summary

Short stretch of concrete anti-tank obstacles on west bank of river Axe visible as a row of small structures on aerial photographs taken during the 1940s. Part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. One survives and has been built into the river bank protection.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY29NE83
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1417412
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/272/3
• Pastscape: 1417412

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK BLOCK (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.

A row of five small structures is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3198-3199 22-JAN-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359315.

A row of five small structures is visible.

Newbery, J. D., 1996, Anti-Tank Obstacle on Riverbank (Worksheet). SDV356779.

Anti-tank obstacles not there anymore. Either demolished or undermined by river, washed in a subsequently incorporated in river bank protection.

Historic England, 2015-2016, NRHE to HER prototype, 485437 (Website). SDV359652.

Summary description
Site of a Second World War tank trap located on First Marls riverbank, Hunthay Farm, Axminster. The tank trap was constructed in 1940-41 and conprised a concrete block. A field visit in 1996 found the block had been washed into River Axe as a result of river bank erosion, and subsequently incorporated into river bank protection.
Full description
Anti-tank block, washed into river as a result of river bank erosion, and subsequently incorporated into river bank protection.On First Marls riverbank, Hunthay Farm, Axminster. (1)
Sources
1 Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources The two databases developed by the Project can be searched on-line through the Archaeology Data Service at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/dob/index.cfm
Monument types, periods and evidence
Tank trap: Constructed 1940-1, Second World War. Structure
Anti tank obstacle: Constructed 1940-1, Second World War. Structure
Related monuments: None recorded
Related events: 1444724 THE DEFENCE OF BRITAIN PROJECT Measured Survey
Related archives/objects: DEB01 Defence of Britain
DoB Anti Invasion Database UID S0001306
Record created: Prior to 01/04/1999

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 five small structures, circa 1 by 1.5 metres, is visible on aerial photographs taken in the late 1940s. It is part of the previously recorded 1940-1941 tank trap that forms part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line.
The 1948 RAF prints held by Historic England have been recorded here as an additional source 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.
The structures are recorded as having been washed into the River Axe before 1996, but one had been incorporated into the river bank erosion defences.

Sources / Further Reading

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.
SDV356779	Worksheet: Newbery, J. D.. 1996. Anti-Tank Obstacle on Riverbank. 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 3198-3199 22-JAN-1948. [Mapped feature: #93824 ]
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
SDV359652	Website: Historic England. 2015-2016. NRHE to HER prototype. https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/home. Website. 485437.

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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