Monument record MDO46193 - World War Two pillbox on Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury

A World War II type 26 pillbox with an iron door, located on the landward side of Chesil Beach by the anti-tank blocks at Reeds End. The pillbox was one of four pillboxes associated with the double row of anti tank blocks which crosses the beach (NMR HOB UID 1426263). It is square on plan and built of concrete. The pillbox was 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 1995 found it half buried in the beach and tilted at an angle.

Square type 26 pillbox with iron door, half buried in beach. [Shown on OS 1:2500 sheet SY 5683 - 5783 (1964)].On landward side of Chesil Beach, by anti-tank blocks near Swannery. <1-3>

A series of World War II buildings are visible as extant structures on aerial photographs taken in 1940 <4> on Chesil Beach at Reeds End. Some are considered likely to be pillboxes, perhaps the original positions of those described in MWX1335 and MWX1336 which may have shifted in the sand over time. These features are situated within the Abbotsbury Defence which was defended by the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. They were digitally plotted during the South Dorset Ridgeway Mapping Project.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0003114 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2003, Defence of Britain Project Database, S0003114 (Machine readable data file). SDO128.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0003114 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<4> Royal Air Force, 05-AUG-1940, RAF/225A/BR252 (VC) 6-7 (Aerial Photograph). SDO12202.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1419108 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2024 4:36PM