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Summary

Area of bare ground visible on late 1940s aerial photographs, possibly the remains of a demolished pillbox, on west side of line of anti-tank ditch at Foxhill on east side of Axminster. As such it would have been part of the Axminster fortified area on the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/310

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Structure, possibly pillbox, at SY2987598051.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431, 3199 (Aerial Photograph). SDV356746.

Wills, H., 1985, Pillboxes. A Study of UK Defences 1940, 74 (Monograph). SDV336210.

Polgonal pillbox of mixed construction facing east at SY298980.

Horner, B., 1994, Taunton Stop Line Survey (Personal Comment). SDV360458.

This may be the same site as MDV48167 but it is not clear if a further box is visible on the 1948 RAF photo.

Exeter Archaeology, 2008, Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon, 5, Fig. 7 (Report - Assessment). SDV342566.

Site 4

Baines, C., 2009, Pillbox near Axminster (Personal Comment). SDV342645.

Structure which could be the pillbox referred to by Wills located in map square SY298980, to west of possible line of anti-tank ditch, on digital Royal Air Force aerial photograph layer.

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

An irregular area of bare ground circa 9 by 15 metres is visible on the 1948 aerial photographs at SY2987598051. This had been recorded as a pillbox structure, and it could possibly be the remains left from the demolition of a pillbox. However there is no further evidence visible on the available aerial imagery and this interpretation should be viewed with caution.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336210	Monograph: Wills, H.. 1985. Pillboxes. A Study of UK Defences 1940. Pillboxes. Hardback Volume. 74.
SDV342566	Report - Assessment: Exeter Archaeology. 2008. Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon. Exeter Archaeology Report. 08.24. A4 Stapled + Digital. 5, Fig. 7.
SDV342645	Personal Comment: Baines, C.. 2009. Pillbox near Axminster. Not Applicable.
SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital). [Mapped feature: #94476 ]
SDV356746	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2431. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 3199.
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
SDV360458	Personal Comment: Horner, B.. 1994. Taunton Stop Line Survey. Not Applicable.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4523 - Archaeological Assessment of Land off Duke's Way, Axminster, Devon
• EDV7508 - The Blackdown Hills AONB and East Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme (NMP) project (Ref: ACD1228)

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