Monument record 8632/1/4 - WWII Road Block

One of the Second World War road blocks constructed by Northamptonshire County Council by mid-July 1940, on behalf of the South Midlands Area Command. Buttocks Booth, opposite 'Fernlea' immediately South of the junction with the A43 road.

{1} This was one of the road blocks constructed by the County Council by mid July, 1940 on behalf of the South Midlands Area Command on a site approved by the C.R.E. Oxford District. The carriageway was not permanently blocked but could be blocked quickly in an emergency to protect the steel works.This was part of one of the original 17 road blocks set up around Northampton in 1940. The Buttocks Booth road block was actually four road blocks. In mid -1941 the defences were strengthened. With the designation of Northampton as a Nodal Point in September 1941 and the creation of Defended Localities in the town, this road block was abandoned and the components were used to reinforce other defences.

{6} AA & colleague have identified the Home Guard Roadblock depicted on p42 of 'Northamptonshire at War 1939-45'; 'The roadblock is one of those at Buttocks.. .. The house in the background still stands at the junction of Moulton Way and Booth Rise (SP 7834 6446). The site of the actual roadblock is now under a grass verge at the end of Moulton Way South, and the sockets for the vertical rails might survive beneath the remains of the old road.'

{7} 'Then and now' photos of the roadblock.

{8} One of the road blocks constructed by Northamptonshire County Council by mid-July 1940, on behalf of the South Midlands Area Command. It was constructed on a site approved by the CRE Oxford District. The carriageway was not permanently blocked but steel stanchions and or sand bags and lump stone were provided in order to close the road quickly in the event of an emergency.

Together with three other roadblocks around Buttocks Booth it formed one of the 17 original roadblocks set up around Northampton in 1940. In mid 1941 the roadblocks were strengthened with concrete cylinders - used as outer defences to prevent enemy tanks making a rush at the steel-work.

With the designation of Northampton as a nodal point in September 1941 and the creation of defended localities in the town all four Buttocks Booth roadblocks were abandoned and the concrete cylinders moved to reinforce other defences.

Buttocks Booth road blocks were manned by members of the 12th Northamptonshire Home Guard (Northampton Borough) from mid-1940 until their closure the following year.

For further information see SRF. Buttocks Booth, opposite 'Fernlea' immediately S of the junction with the A43 road.

<1> HOLLOWELL S., 1998, DEFENCE OF BRITAIN RECORDING FORMS, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN51574.

<2> Barnes L.E., 1946, History of the 12th Northamptonshire Battalion Home Guard 1940-1944, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN55036.

<3> Holloway B.G., 1949, The Northamptonshire Home Guard 1940-45, (unchecked) (Book). SNN55038.

<4> 1940, LETTERS, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN60578.

<5> Wright J.J., 1969, Photograph Album, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN55680.

<6> Armishaw A., 2004, Letter From A Armishaw, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN104771.

<7> Armishaw, A., 2004, Buttocks Booth road block, (checked) (Letter). SNN107274.

<8> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<9> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

Record last edited

Dec 5 2022 3:04PM