Monument record 8653/0/1 - WWII Road Block, London Road

One of the road blocks to be constructed by the County Council by mid-July 1940, on behalf of Central Midland Command on a site approved by the C.R.E. Warwickshire District.

{1}The contemporary schedule gives the location as north of the junction with Mill Lane and Doddington Road on what was the A45 (this part now A509). It is thought that the most likely site for this road block is near where Mill Lane emerges further south near the Borough boundary and not where the Doddington Road met the London Road just below the town centre. This was one of the road blocks to be constructed by the County Council by mid-July 1940, on behalf of Central Midland Command on a site approved by the C.R.E. Warwickshire District. When authority for the area was transferred to Northern Command, construction was suspended. Most road blocks were either complete, however, or had enough materials supplied so that they could be completed. The carriageway was not permanently blocked but steel stanchions and/or sand bags and lump stone was provided in order to block the road quickly in an emergency. This was approx a year before concrete cylinders arrived in the county to be used in road blocks. The site is now destroyed.

{6} Concrete cylinders still in the side of the road as a kind of revetment.

{7} One of the road blocks constructed by Northamptonshire County Council by mid-July 1940, on behalf of the Central Midland Command. It was constructed on a site approved by the CRE Warwickshire 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.
For further information see SRF.

Additional notes on location:
The contemporary schedule gives the location as N of the junction with Mill Lane and Doddington Road on what was the A45 (this part is now A509). In fact , these two roads did not meet the A45 in one place but intersected in two completely different locations. Doddington Road met London Road just below the town centre and Mill Lane emerged further S near the Borough boundary. The latter seems the most likely site for a roadblock of this period and this is reflected in the NGR given - Dr. S.R. Hollowell. On present A509 London road at Embankment roundabout, Wellingborough [see further details under 'Description'].

<1> HOLLOWELL S., 1998, Defence of Britain Project Site Record Form, (checked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN51595.

<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, Letter and Schedule From The County Surveyor, (unchecked) (Correspondence). SNN55598.

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

<6> Dixon C., 2003, Wellingborough Road Block, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN102378.

<7> Migrated Defence of Britain Project database record originally compiled from various sources (Database). SNN112922.

<8> Historic England, Undated, Defence of Britain, DEB01 (Archive). SNN112947.

Record last edited

Mar 20 2024 4:27PM