Monument record MDO17976 - Second World War Anti Tank Blocks, Bull Lane, Maiden Newton

A World War Two tank trap adjoining a type 22 pillbox on the railway embankment at the end of Bull Lane. The tank trap comprises nine concrete anti-tank blocks, 42 inches square and four foot apart. Construction took place in 1940-41. A field visit in 1997 found the structures to be in a good condition.

9 anti-tank blocks, sited adjoining a type 22 pillbox. Constructed of concrete set in 5 ins width bands. Dimensions, 42ins square, 4ft apart. The cubes start 5ft down the slope from the pillbox. On the railway embankment at the end of Bull Lane, Maiden Newton. <1-3>

A row of anti tank cubes is visible at on 1940's aerial photographs on the east side of the railway line at Maiden Newton <4>. The features extend between the tailway line and a Type 22 pillbox (MDO17975). They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Frome AIM project. The features may still be extant under trees, as visible on2002 Google Earth imagery <5>.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0000056 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0000056 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0000056 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-48, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RS 4276-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16872.

<5> XX-XXX-2002, Google Earth (Aerial Photograph). SDO11868.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1416274 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jun 24 2024 12:20PM