Monument record MWX1328 - World War Two Type 22 pillbox north of Castle Hill Cottages, Abbotsbury

A World War Two type 22 pillbox located on rising ground behind Castle Hill Cottages, Burton Road. It is hexagonal on plan, and has brick walls and a reinforced concrete roof. The pillbox was probably constructed in 1940 and was situated within the Abbotsbury Defence area, which at this time, was manned by the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. A field visit in 2000 found the structure to be in a good condition. The pillbox is visible on aerial photographs..

Hexagonal type 22 pillbox. [Shown on OS 1:2500 sheet SY 5485 - 5585 (1963)].Probably a type 22 pillbox (brick-shuttered) situated on the S side of coastal hill. Field of fire S to beach.Type 22 pillbox; brick-walled with reinforced concrete roof. On rising ground behind Castle Hill Cottages on the Burton road. <1-3>

The piillbox is visible on aerial photographs <4-5> and was digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project. A small pit lies immediately to the east of the pillbox and may be contemporary with it.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0003118 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0003118 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0003118 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 3285-6 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11624.

<5> Royal Air Force, 22-JAN-1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2431 4285 (Aerial Photograph). SDO11647.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1419112 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2023 11:39AM