Second World War Pillbox, 11m south-west of Easthams Hill Farm

Summary

A Second World War pillbox, constructed probably autumn 1940.

Reasons for Designation

The Second World War pillbox on Yeovil Road in Crewkerne is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as an especially well-built defensive structure, constructed to a rare and unusual design using high-quality brickwork.

Historic interest:

* as an extant manifestation of the precautions taken to repel an invading force during the early stages of the Second World War;
* as the only known and significant survival from Crewkerne’s anti-tank island defences.

History

The earliest examples of pillboxes date from the First World War, although this example, along with many thousands of others, was constructed as part of a national defence programme in response to the threat of German invasion in 1940. The programme involved strengthening coastal defences and constructing defensive lines, or 'stop lines', stretching inland in order to slow down the progress of an invading force. During the Second World War, pillboxes were built along the stop lines and at nodal points, such as towns and villages, military bases and munitions factories. Twelve basic designs were approved by the War Office, although these were often varied to accommodate local considerations. Due to the inflexibility of their design and high cost, the deployment of pillboxes came under scrutiny in 1941 and the Home Office issued orders to stop building them in February 1942.

The Taunton Stop Line was a continuous line of anti-tank defences from the north coast of Somerset to Seaton in Devon that was established in 1940. From the autumn of that year 12 anti-tank islands (all-round defences), including one at Crewkerne, were added to its defences. The pillbox on Yeovil Road (A30), to the north-east of Crewkerne town centre was probably built around July 1940 as part of the town’s anti-tank island of seven pillboxes and eight roadblocks, providing cover for an adjacent roadblock no 2 on the A30. The road, which runs from Cornwall to London, was considered by the War Office to be strategically important and was designated as a 'main essential route' for troop movements, and was one of the expected major thrust routes should an invasion take place from the South West. The pillbox is a variant of a Type 22 pillbox, having thicker, shell-proof walls, very large embrasures, and no roof or overhead cover which suggests that it may have functioned as an anti-aircraft defence post. The Taunton Stop Line was abandoned in April 1941, but the anti-tank islands continued to be a key part of anti-invasion defences until 1944.

Details

A Second World War pillbox, constructed probably autumn 1940.

MATERIALS: red brick with concrete dressings.

PLAN: it has an irregular hexagonal plan.

EXTERIOR: the pillbox stands on raised ground, partly set into the bank, on the north side of the A30. The thick walls of the pillbox, which are built of brick, rise from a double-chamfered brick plinth and are surmounted by a reinforced concrete ring beam. There is no roof, and no evidence that one roof ever existed. Three of the four embrasures face roughly north, north-east and east; the fourth faces south side. All have concrete cills and the splays retain steel armour plate. It is entered from a rear (north) entrance trench that has four concrete steps leading into the pillbox.

INTERIOR: there is no central anti-ricochet wall typical of most pillboxes, and the concrete floor slab has a hole at its centre, possibly a drain. Below each of the large embrasures is a step or weapon rest.

Sources

Websites
Somerset Historic Environment Record, 55249: Second World War pillbox, S of Higher Easthams Farm, Crewkerne, accessed 23 October 2017 from http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/55249
Somerset Historic Environment Record, 37670: Second World War anti-tank island defences, Crewkerne, accessed 23 October 2017 from http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/37670

Other
B Osborn, August 2017, A report on the Crewkerne Second World War Pillbox alongside the A30, for Crewkerne Town Council
RJC Thomas, October 2017, pers comm

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