Monument record MWX1478 - Second World War pillbox, Church Ope Cove, Portland

A World War II pillbox situated in Church Ope Cove. It was located on 'Boys Rock' side, at beach level at the back of the beach near the cliff. This was one of two pillboxes to be built in the Cove during the war. The pillbox had a concrete base and corrugated iron sheeting had been used vertically as shuttering for concrete walls. Construction took place sometime between 1940-41. A field visit in 1997 located no traces of the structure.

This was the second of two pillboxes built in the Cove in WW2. Bricks were first carried down to the site 12 at a time. Later the visiting Welsh regiment formed a line down the steps and passed materials hand to hand. Cement was similarly transported to the site. [Informant: Mr. Noble, a local man].

[Recorder Perry originally gave NGR - SY 69707101 for this pillbox].

Recorder's photograph 529/15 of 7.4.97 not attached. Informants, George Davey and Gordon ('Boy') Male, local men.

Pillbox had a concrete base, multi-sided, corrugated iron sheeting used vertically as shuttering for concrete walls. Built on a rise close to the water's edge; awash at the highest tides. At Church Ope Cove, on 'Boys Rock' side (N side) at beach level at the back of the beach near the cliff. <1-3>

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0005890 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0005890 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0005890 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1420404 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2024 4:37PM