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Summary

Pillbox overlooking the River Axe and a stretch of anti-tank ditch. Visible as a six-sided structure on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and subsequently obscured by vegetation cover. Part of the of the Wadbrook defence area on the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: World War II pillbox and earthwork remains of anti-tank ditch and obstacles about 400m south-west of Wadbrook Farmhouse, part of the Taunton Stop Line

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417417
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST30SW/122

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• PILLBOX (Built, World War II - 1940 AD to 1940 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, CPE/UK/1974/3421 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363126.

Pillbox visible on 1947 RAF aerial photograph. Part of Taunton Stop-Line. Appears to be polygonal type FW3/24 facing west to cover Axe and anti-tank ditch.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 3420-3421 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A six-sided structure is visible.

Wills, H., 1985, Pillboxes. A Study of UK Defences 1940, 76 (Monograph). SDV336210.

Wills lists polygonal west facing pillbox of mixed construction at ST323014.

Dangerfield, M.E. + Dangerfield, J.D. + Tibbles, N., 1997, Pillbox at Wadbrook (Worksheet). SDV357523.

Dobinson, C. S., 1998, The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing, 4 (Report - non-specific). SDV109230.

Pillbox S.23 of type FW3/22 with 3ft 6in thick walls.

Foot, W., 2005, Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England, DA04-Wadbrook-S0001311 (Report - Survey). SDV360266.

Site visit 14th January 2003. Wadbrook defence area. Pillbox (Type FW3/24). Located by a stream near the east bank of the river Axe. Hexagonal pillbox of concrete blocks facing the river. No access. In bad condition, heavily overgrown with shrubs.

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

A small six-sided structure, circa 6 by 6 metres in plan, is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1947. It is very likely to be the Second World War pillbox S.23 marked on Royal Engineers plans for the 1940 Taunton Stop Line. It is not visible on the later available aerial imagery when it seems to be completely obscured by vegetation. It is depicted on modern mapping and so has not been transcribed.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

Structure depicted.

Powell-Thomas, A., 2017, The West Country's last Line of Defence. Taunton Stop Line, 76 (Monograph). SDV360594.

Boarded up and overgrown by the side of a stream.

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. 4.
SDV336210	Monograph: Wills, H.. 1985. Pillboxes. A Study of UK Defences 1940. Pillboxes. Hardback Volume. 76.
SDV356127	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1974. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 3420-3421 11-APR-1947.
SDV357523	Worksheet: Dangerfield, M.E. + Dangerfield, J.D. + Tibbles, N.. 1997. Pillbox at Wadbrook. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
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
SDV359962	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2017. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #93268 ]
SDV360266	Report - Survey: Foot, W.. 2005. Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England. Council for British Archaeology/English Heritage. Digital. DA04-Wadbrook-S0001311.
SDV360594	Monograph: Powell-Thomas, A.. 2017. The West Country's last Line of Defence. Taunton Stop Line. The West Country's last Line of Defence. Taunton Stop Line. Paperback Volume. 76.
SDV363126	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. CPE/UK/1974/3421. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).

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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