Monument record 86/1/19 - WWII Defensive Look-Out Post

Square brick World War II look-out post/pillbox with concrete roof, with three embrasures. Possible remnant of wooden door at the entrance on the NE side. Steps down to interior.

{1} Brick and concrete look-out post with embrasures. Possible remnant of wooden door frame at entrance on the north-east side; steps down from outside.,Small brick and concrete building with small embrasures. Very similar in character to 86/1/18 but covered in ivy. Possible remnant of wooden door at the entrance on the north east side. Steps down to interior. Located close to the east end of Store Number 8. Presumed of cWW2 origin. Currently derelict. Building number 213.

{3} Confirm WWII origin as "protected posts for guards or as firewatcher's posts." …… " At first sight they appear to be air-raid shelters; however they lack the loose mortared brickwork panel on the back or side of the structure provided as an emergency exit if the front entrance to a shelter became blocked. Both structures have a viewing slit in each wall formed by the removal or omission of a single brick, a feature not found in air-raid shelters. An interesting modification is the provision of a viewing slit in the entrance blast wall allowing all-round observation during an attack. It is worth noting that the usual air-raid shelter provision on military sites was a system of trenches, as military personnel were expected to continue working or firing until the last possible moment. The site history comments that civilian shelters were provided in the casements under the even-numbered Storehouses."

{5} There are at least three pillboxes (Type 26) on this site, all built to a common and unique design. Each pillbox has three loopholes, one of which fires through the entrance, which makes the inside rather cramped. Brick and concrete. All in good condition. Photo of each plus scale plan/section. The other two are at SP626595 (SMR 86/1/19) and at SP620596 (86/1/34).

<1> CADMAN G.E., 1996, SMR REPORT FORM, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN49871.

<2> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, p.25 (checked) (Report). SNN104868.

<3> MENUGE A.; WILLIAMS A., 1999, Royal Ordnance Depot, Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63064.

<4> Armishaw, A., 1996, Weedon Depot photos, (checked) (Photographic prints (COL)). SNN52331.

<5> Armishaw, A., 1996, Defence of Britain Project Site Report Form, (checked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN51418.

<6> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<7> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

Record last edited

Jun 16 2023 12:07PM