Monument record MDO42824 - Second World War pillbox, Lower Maiden Newton Farm, Maiden Newton

A rectangular Type 23 Second World War pillbox is visible as an extant structure on 1940’s aerial photographs alongside a railway crossing to the east of Lower Maiden Newton Farm, and was digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Frome AIM project. Constructed in 1940-41, it is located 200 yards east of the railway bridge at Newton Farm. The pillbox is of standard brick and concrete construction with four embrasures. A field visit in 1997 found it to be in a good condition.

Type 23 pillbox, of standard brick and concrete construction with 4 embrasures.

Dimensions, walls 78ins wide, embrasures 15ins x 7.5ins outside widening to 27.5ins x 14ins inside. Entrance - outer 28ins x 64ins, inner 26.5ins x 51ins. Concrete roof 13ins thick, slopes 12.5ins to 10.5ins over entrance. Roof has bevelled edges on two sides. Concrete floor and roof, internal height 78ins, internal walls 73ins wide.200 yards E of the railway bridge at Newton Farm, Maiden Newton. <1-3>


A rectangular Type 23 Second World War pillbox is visible as an extant structure on 1940s aerial photographs <4> alongside a railway crossing to the east of Lower Maiden Newton Farm, Maiden Newton, and was digitally plotted during the Dorset Upper Frome AIM project (1). The pillbox was described as in good condition in 1997 (NHRE Hob UID 1419128). It is still visible on 2010 Google Earth imagery <5>.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0000074 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0000074 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

Dimensions: Walls - 78" thick. Loopholes - 15"x7.5" outside widening to 27.5"x14" inside. Entrance - outer 28"x64", inner 26.5"x51". Concrete roof 13" thick - slopes 12.5" to 10.5" over entrance. Roof has bevelled edges on two sides. Concrete floor and roof - internal height 78". Internal walls 7'1" wide.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0000074 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-48, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 RS 4273-4 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16839.

<5> Google Earth, XX-XXX-2010, Google Earth 2010 (Aerial Photograph). SDO16568.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1416292 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 12 2023 8:00AM