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Summary

Remains of a former roadblock on the west side of Axe Bridge. Visible on aerial photographs taken between 1947 and 2014. Two concrete blocks survive, one either side of the road, with slots for a barrier. Part of the Wadbrook defence area on the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417444
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST30SW/132

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ANTI TANK OBSTACLE (Constructed, World War II - 1940 AD to 1940 AD)

Full description

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

Two small structures are visible, one either side of the bridge.

Horner, B., 1993, Pillboxes and Roadblocks (Site Visit). SDV360454.

Site visit 14th May 1993. Roadblock on west side of Axe bridge. Two concrete blocks with slots for barrier flanking road. Photograph taken (slide).

Dangerfield, M.E. + Dangerfield, J.D. + Tibbles, N., 1996, Roadblock, Axe Bridge (Worksheet). SDV357187.

The columns are situated immediately to the west of the curved wall ends of Axe Bridge. The slit on the north block is open, 2 feet 9 inches deep and that on the south column is covered and 2 feet 2 inches deep. Other dimensions as shown in the sketch.

Dobinson, C. S., 1998, The Taunton Stop Line. Component Listing, 13 (Report - non-specific). SDV109230.

Roadblock S.Rd.51 at Wadbrook. Priority 'A' of type "RB No2 R" with 12 tetrahedra and 12 mines.

Foot, W., 2006, Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England, DA04-Wadbrook-S0001339 (Report - Survey). SDV360266.

Site visit 14th January 2003. Wadbrook defence area. Roadblock at Axebridge. Two massive 5ft horizontal shuttered concrete cubes, one on each side of the road. Each has a slot for a horizontal rail. In good condition. Considered to be a fine survival (see photo) as these were usually removed as an obstruction quite soon after the end of the war.

Passmore, A. + Passmore, M., 2010, The Taunton Stop Line, 3 (Leaflet). SDV345322.

The photograph shows a road block at Wadbrook in East Devon. The pillars either side of the road have grooves into which a metal obstruction could be slotted to block the road and so hinder vehicles. Similar structures were positioned along railway tracks. Other details: Photograph.

Next Perspectives, 2014, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST3201 13-JUN-2014 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359479.

Two small structures are visible, one either side of the bridge.

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

Two small pale structures, one either side of the road on the west end of Axe Bridge, are visible on aerial photographs taken between 1947 and 2014. They are very likely to be the remains of the Second World War roadblock marked on Royal Engineers plans for the 1940 Taunton Stop Line.

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. 13.
SDV345322	Leaflet: Passmore, A. + Passmore, M.. 2010. The Taunton Stop Line. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archaeology in Devon. 22. A4 Folded + digital. 3.
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.
SDV357187	Worksheet: Dangerfield, M.E. + Dangerfield, J.D. + Tibbles, N.. 1996. Roadblock, Axe Bridge. 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
SDV359479	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2014. Aerial Photography for Great Britain. Digital. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery ST3201 13-JUN-2014. [Mapped feature: #93278 ]
SDV360266	Report - Survey: Foot, W.. 2006. Defence Areas. A National Study of Second World War Anti-Invasion Landscapes in England. Council for British Archaeology/English Heritage. Digital. DA04-Wadbrook-S0001339.
SDV360454	Site Visit: Horner, B.. 1993. Pillboxes and Roadblocks. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4919 - Site Visit to Pillboxes and Anti-Tank Obstacles Near Axminster
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)
• EDV4929 - Survey of Defensive Structures on the Taunton Stop Line

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