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Summary

A Second World War Pillbox of possible RAF type is visible in the south-west corner of Braunton cricket ground. It is visible as a structure on aerial photographs of 1946, although possibly disguised, and remains visible in the field as an extant structure.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks, fields and hedgebanks associated with Braunton Great Field, open field system and WWII pillboxes

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43NE/257
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLBOX (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2244.

Vis=18/6/1995(horner, hellis, thomas et al) pillbox at sw corner of braunton cricket ground. A polygonal raf-type reinforced brick structure. The door at the rear and the gun loopholes have all been blocked in. The pillbox faces sw covering braunton great field. The appendices in wasley (1994) record that the great field was earmarked in 1940 for anti-airborne landing defences (possibly trenches, posts or other obstacles) as being hedgeless it was considered vulnerable to such attacks and lay close to the strategically important airfield at chivenor (horner).

APH, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV72732.

The pillbox is visible on raf 1946 ap's (aph).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV72733.

Des=horner, b. /(20/7/1995)/as above.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV72734.

Aph=raf/106g/uk/1501/3008/(13/5/1946)/smr 7/10.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV72736.

Aph=dap/fu 7,8(18/12/1985).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1501, NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3009-3010 13-MAY-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349927.

The pillbox is visible as a rectangular structure.

Royal Air Force, 1959, RAF 58/2773 F21, NMR RAF/58/2773 (F21) 0032-0033 29-APR-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349928.

The pillbox is visible as a rectangular structure. The cricket ground structure to the north has been removed.

Wasley, G., 1994, Devon at War 1939-1945, 190-192 (Monograph). SDV165766.

The great field was earmarked in 1940 for anti-airborne landing defences.

Next Perspectives, 2010, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:, Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4836 08-APR-2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDV349899.

The pillbox remains visble, although partly obscured by tree cover.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S., 2011-2012, North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV349018.

A Second World War Pillbox is visible as a structure in the south-west corner of Braunton cricket ground on aerial photographs of 1946. The roof of the visible structure measures almost 8 by 6 metres in size, much larger than the surviving pillbox. This might support the interpretation it was disguised during the war, possibly as a cricket ground structure similar to that visible 70 metres to the north in the 1940s. The pillbox remains visible, undisguised, on interactive digital images derived from aeriall photographs flown in 2010.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV165766	Monograph: Wasley, G.. 1994. Devon at War 1939-1945. Devon at War. Hardback Volume. 190-192.
SDV2244	Migrated Record:
SDV349018	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S.. 2011-2012. North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. ACD383/2/1. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV349899	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2010. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref:. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Tile Ref: SS4836 08-APR-2010.
SDV349927	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/106G/UK/1501. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/106G/UK/1501 3009-3010 13-MAY-1946. [Mapped feature: #94822 ]
SDV349928	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1959. RAF 58/2773 F21. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR RAF/58/2773 (F21) 0032-0033 29-APR-1959.
SDV72732	Migrated Record: APH.
SDV72733	Migrated Record:
SDV72734	Aerial Photograph:
SDV72736	Aerial Photograph:

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6132 - North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty NMP Project (Ref: ACD383/2/1)

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