Monument record MWX1470 - Second World War pillbox, Studland

A World War II pillbox located east of Knoll House Hotel. It measures 3 metres by 3 metres and is 1.8 metres high. Construction is of concrete block with a solid concrete roof. The seaward east side of the structure narrows from 3 metres to 2.1metres and there are embrasures on the east, north and south sides of this half of the pillbox measuring 1metre long by 0.3 metre high. The entrance is in the west side and measures 1metre high and 0.6 metre wide. The pillbox had been constructed by early August 1940 and was situated within the Studland Sub-Sector, defended by the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment from October 1940, replaced in April 1941 by the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards. The Home Guard unit manning defences within this sector was No.2 (East Purbeck) Company, 7th (Wareham) Battalion. A field visit in 1995 found the structure to be in a good condition.

A pillbox of concrete block construction and solid concrete roof. Built into the E facing slope which leads up from the beach to the Knoll House Hotel tennis courts. Similar in shape to the pillbox at SZ 03308362, it measures 3m x 3m x 1.8m. The seaward E side of the structure narrows from 3m to 2.1m and there are embrasures on the E, N and S sides of this half of the pillbox measuring 1m long by 0.3 high. The entrance is in the W side and measures 1m high and 0.6m wide.

The site is becoming increasingly inaccessible due to encroachment of scrub woodland with marshy ground at the foot of the slope and nettles growing up and around it. Despite this the site is in good condition. There is a telegraph pole 10m E of the pillbox. E of Knoll House Hotel, Corfe Castle Estate, Studland. <1>

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 1995, Defence of Britain Project, S0007716 (Digital archive). SWX5.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 2006, Defence of Britain Project Archive DEB01, S0007716 (Excavation archive). SDO17227.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1422097 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 15 2024 11:13AM