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Summary

A pillbox is visible in the corner of a field below Bagley Hill Farm on aerial photographs taken in 1947, but has since become overgrown. Part of the Second World War Taunton Stop Line constructed in 1940.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Traditional farm buildings dated to the 19th century or earlier and Second World War pillboxes, part of the Taunton Stopline, at Bagley Hill Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1417453
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST30SW/168

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 RAF 1947 aerial photo facing northwest and covering the river Axe.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1975, RAF/CPE/UK/1975 FP 1118-1119 11-APR-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV359646.

A six-sided structure is visible.

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

Wills lists a polygonal pillbox of mixed construction facing north-west at ST319009.

Hayne, D. + Weston, H., 1996, Pillbox, Bagley Hill Farm (Worksheet). SDV356733.

Pillbox below Bagley Hill Farm, in a corner of a field. Condition unknown. It now lies beneath many feet of brambles and nettles. Existence confirmed by farmer.

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

Pillbox S.25 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-S0001348, Map 2 (Report - Survey). SDV360266.

Pillbox. Condition unknown.

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 5 by 6 metres in plan, is just visible amid tree cover on aerial photographs taken in 1947. It is very likely to be the Second World War pillbox S.25 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.

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

Mention of a pillbox at Bagley Hill Farm.

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.
SDV356733	Worksheet: Hayne, D. + Weston, H.. 1996. Pillbox, Bagley Hill Farm. 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
SDV359646	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1975. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1975 FP 1118-1119 11-APR-1947.
SDV359962	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2017. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #94499 ]
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-S0001348, Map 2.
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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