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Summary

Stretch of anti-tank ditch across a bend in the river on the west side of Axminster. Part of the Axminster fortified area on the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. Visible as an earthwork ditch and banks on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s and indistinctly surviving as a slight ditch on modern aerial photographs.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY29NE84
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1417413
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/267
• Pastscape: 1417413

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK DITCH (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 substantial linear earthwork ditch is visible, with banks either side.

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

A substantial linear earthwork ditch is visible, with banks either side.

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

Stretch of anti-tank ditch visible on 1948 Royal Air Force aerial photograph across U-bend in river. Part of the Axminster fortified area on the Taunton Stop Line.

Newbery, J. D., 1996-1997, Bow Bridge Field Anti-Tank Ditch (Worksheet). SDV325511.

No sign in field except heresay of years ago that line of ditch was visible at time of extreme drought. Existence of previous anti-tank ditch not known at that time, so significance of 'line' not appreciated.

Environment Agency, 1998-2014, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution), LIDAR SY2998 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014 (Cartographic). SDV359177.

A slight earthwork ditch is visible.

Hollinrake, C. + Hollinrake, N., 2001, An Archaeological and Historical Desk Top Study of Land at Musbury Road, Axminster, 17, 26 + fig 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV320907.

No visible remains of the tank trap were found during a survey prior to development in 2001.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Line of anti-tank ditch can just be faintly seen as a crop mark on modern aerial photograph.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SY2898 08-SEP-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

A slight linear earthwork ditch is visible.

Historic England, 2015-2016, NRHE to HER prototype, 485438 (Website). SDV359652.

Summary description
Site of a Second World War anti-tank ditch located in Bow Bridge field, Hunthay Farm, Axminster. The anti tank ditch was constructed in 1940-41 and infilled by 1950. A field visit in 1996 located no traces of the ditch, although the line of the ditch is said to be visible as a cropmark in times of severe drought.
Full description
Now no sign of anti-tank ditch, although the line of the ditch is said to be visible as a crop mark in times of severe drought. In Bow Bridge field, 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 1940-41, Second World War. Documentary evidence
Anti tank obstacle: Constructed 1940-41, Second World War. Documentary evidence
Related monuments: 1423486
Related events: 1444724 THE DEFENCE OF BRITAIN PROJECT Measured Survey
Related archives/objects: DEB01 Defence of Britain
DoB Anti Invasion Database UID S0001307
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 linear earthwork ditch, circa 5.5 metres in width, and flanked by earthwork banks of 6 metres width on either side, is visible on aerial photographs taken in the late 1940s. It is part of a previously recorded 1940-1941 anti-tank ditch 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 earthwork is recorded as having been levelled by 1950, but a slight ditch is visible on aerial photographs from the 1960s onwards.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV109622	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431/3199. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV320907	Report - Assessment: Hollinrake, C. + Hollinrake, N.. 2001. An Archaeological and Historical Desk Top Study of Land at Musbury Road, Axminster. Hollinrake Report. 230. A4 Stapled + Digital. 17, 26 + fig 5.
SDV325511	Worksheet: Newbery, J. D.. 1996-1997. Bow Bridge Field Anti-Tank Ditch. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV341189	Aerial Photograph: Bluesky. 2006 - 2007. Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007. Bluesky. Photograph (Digital).
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.
SDV359177	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2014. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SY2998 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 30-SEP-2014.
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: #93113 ]
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 SY2898 08-SEP-2014.
SDV359652	Website: Historic England. 2015-2016. NRHE to HER prototype. https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/home. Website. 485438.

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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