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Summary

Rows of anti-tank cubes are visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s. Part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940. Some appear to survive within a garden.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY39NW/72

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Engineers, 1940, Plans of Taunton Stop Line, Axminster Union & RD (Cartographic). SDV325259.

Not recorded on Royal Engineer's survey plan.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1974, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 FP 1424-1425 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356127.

A row of small structures is visible.

RAF, 1948, CPE/ UK 2431, 3200 (Migrated Record). SDV111566.

Row of concrete anti-tank obstacles visible alongside, to west, of road on RAF 1948 aerial photograph. Also appear to be further such obstacles lining south side of road junction at c SY30239884. Other details: 39/62.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359315.

A row of small structures is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431/3200 (Aerial Photograph). SDV132197.

Row of concrete anti-tank obstacles visible on 1948 Royal Air Force aerial photograph on south-west side of road junction at Millbrook Cross. Another curving line of obstacles can also be seen to the south on the west side of Stony Lane.

Ordnance Survey, 1963, Ordnance Survey 6 inch map (Cartographic). SDV166087.

The area is shown as partly built over on the 1963 Ordnance Survey 6 inch map.

Hellis, J., 1990, List of Defensive Sites (Un-published). SDV99101.

Site visit 15th January 1989. Anti-tank blocks visible at SY301988.

Horner, B., 1995, Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit (Personal Comment). SDV325640.

Site visit 13th June 1995. A row of anti-tank cubes of the 5 feet/1.5 metre type are now incorporated into a garden. They originally formed part of the Axminster fortified area on the Taunton Stop Line.

Google, 2012, Google Streetview (Website). SDV348799.

Row of Anti-tank cubes visible in garden on west side of Stony Lane.

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 small structures, each just over a metre across, is visible on aerial photographs from the 1940s along Stony Lane. Their location corresponds to a row of Second World War anti-tank cubes recorded as part of the Taunton Stop Line. Many of these appear to have survived.
The complex has been transcribed from the Historic England Archive 1940s aerial photographs, which have been recorded here as an additional separate source because there is a possibility that the prints may have been processed differently. This would potentially result in images on which archaeological features show slightly differently.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV111566	Migrated Record: RAF. 1948. CPE/ UK 2431. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. 3200.
SDV132197	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431/3200. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Unknown.
SDV166087	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1963. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).
SDV325259	Cartographic: Royal Engineers. 1940. Plans of Taunton Stop Line. Royal Engineers Survey Plan circa July 1940. Unknown. Axminster Union & RD.
SDV325640	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 1995. Taunton Stop Line Survey Site Visit. Taunton Stop Line Survey. Not Applicable.
SDV348799	Website: Google. 2012. Google Streetview. http://maps.google.co.uk. Website.
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.
SDV359315	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RP 3199-3200 22-JAN-1948. [Mapped feature: #93497 ]
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
SDV99101	Un-published: Hellis, J.. 1990. List of Defensive Sites. Manuscript.

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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