Pill boxes at Freshford Somerset

These two boxes formed part of the Bristol outer defence or green line.It was meant to run from Highbridge to Stroud and then onto Gloucester a distance of 91 miles and originally meant to contain 319 pill boxes..when the plan was abandoned in 1941 a lot remained un-built especially in the northern section.These two although suffering from the ravages of time{and trees} are in surprisingly good nick and still entrain some original features.There is a third box in the same area which I didn't have time to hunt out and these two are highly visible and easily accessible by public footpath.

[Information from Nick Mcamleys book on Avoncliffe
1
There's a box here somewhere


2
Ah there it is


3


4Through the door blast wall in front


5
embrasure


6


7
embrasure with wood support


8
firing step?


9An added picture the bridge these two boxes were guarding

This is the second box.Both boxes have their backs to the river Frome and a vast flat killing area in front of them.There was another stop line that finished in Freshford called the Salisbury stop line that was only partially completed and i hazard guess that these two boxes probably doubled with that line though I'm happily open to correction on that point.Buried in Hogg wood to the south of Freshford is a 300 metre length of anti tank ditch with 3 pill boxes apparently it's 12 foot deep and 20 foot wide it's one i'll never get but maybe some intrepid defence buff can photo

1
from the distance


2 the river slowly undercutting the foundations

3


4
general decay


5


6
trees growing out the top


7
the door


8


9
interiors


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11Wood support and hole


12
close up o fwood support is it fora for a weapon tripod/ bipod of some sort?the vertical post outside is a fence post.Both boxes had a few of these left but this was the best preserved


12
Would be interested to know if this fence post is anything military

nice examples oldscrote looks like the river is causing the second one to subside a bit. nice to see some of the wood still in place

Thanks for these Oldscrote. Same design as the one I found in Park Wood near Wells. The reason for your 'firing step' and socket is actually this;

Courtesy of the East Sussex defence project website



I believe that a Boys AT rifle was also accommodated by this type of embrasure.

Thanks for that munchh, I guess the wood construct in picture 12 would have taken the bipod legs shown in your photo.

You really wouldn't want a boyes AT rifle... they were notorious for misfiring and exploding.

The metal post is a ww2 era barbed wire support.

If I remember correctly freshford is actually the convergence of the Green stopline (Outer Bristol defence) and the Blue line which starts at freshford and runs to Reading along the Kennet and Avon Canal.

The Salisbury line starts at Bradford on Avon I believe.

Great finds there, always good to come across the wood left from the casting stage but come on guys this is what you call undercutting.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spuduka/4693557431/in/set-72157624259857196/

oldscrote said:

Thanks for that munchh, I guess the wood construct in picture 12 would have taken the bipod legs shown in your photo.

Click to expand...

Not entirely sure on that as I think it would place the muzzle too high in relation to the embrasure. The bipod of the Bren (when mounted on the tripod) would need clearance when stored in the forward position which could explain the cutaway. Also, NC could be right that the wood construct is a former for the cutaway but it doesn't fit it. The sides are inset by about 1 1/2", a former would meet the concrete all round. It's also been precisely made in as much that the 3 pieces of wood atop the base have been 'let in' or 'trenched' to the base. This type of joint is used to prevent movement during prolonged use which suggests it has purpose other than as a former and was intended to remain in place. I suspect the cutaway, with or without wood construct, had more than one purpose. It was all a bit 'Heath Robinson' during the 'invasion imminent' stage of the war.

Not forgetting that all of this was done because the Turnbull mount (not entirely successful either) wasn't introduced until 1941 and the cumbersome Bren tripod was the best available option as a firing platform at the time. The logic of the PB designers and engineers is easier to understand when you consider that, due to the time constraints and available equipment, we really were making it up as we went along.

krela said:

You really wouldn't want a boyes AT rifle... they were notorious for misfiring and exploding..................................

Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more Krela. I also wouldn't have wanted to be around when they cracked off a Boys as the noise it makes is extreme especially in the confined space of a PB. Fact remains that they did intend to use them if the need arose.

Munchh said:

Couldn't agree more Krela. I also wouldn't have wanted to be around when they cracked off a Boys as the noise it makes is extreme especially in the confined space of a PB. Fact remains that they did intend to use them if the need arose.

Click to expand...

I suspect that's why we sold them all to the australians after the war.

krela said:

I suspect that's why we sold them all to the australians after the war.

Click to expand...

Who allegedley nicknamed them 'Charlie the Bastard' cos of the vicious recoil.

another of the Freshford pillboxes visited the other day.This one is at the point where the River Frome valley narrows down.and is crossed by a bridge known as blackford bridge.The road leads to Shittem lane unfortunately renamed rosemary lane to avoid upsetting modern people.The box is unchaved and still has all the little wood box things noted in the other two boxes,{What were they for?]There is another box near by in an elevated position which I couldn't find and I think is in someone's garden.

1



2



3



4



5



6



7 a view from across the river.This box is on the opposite bank to the first two.



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9



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11



13 The first signs of concrete cancer developing in the roof of the embrasure next to the door{only spotted when I got home}



14



15 through the embrasure,you can just make out Blackford bridge railings on the left.



16 looking the other way



17 Looking across the fields you can just make out the second box in this report



18 Blackford bridge.The building behind is part of a new development{now halted to bankruptcy of the developer}on the old Freshford mill site.

Here's a couple more of the Freshford boxes.I haven't done these in such depth as they are the same as the rest on this thread.So I have just recorded them for posterity.

1 Exterior



2 I think this is part of the Freshford millennium thing



3 Ivy covered door



4 Embrasure yet again this box was equipped with the same strange wood cradles as the others,



5 The inside was full of junk including this wonderful old sink



6 The field of fire was mainly upriver towards Iford and Farleigh Hungerford [River Frome]



7 This is the other box.I failed to get near it as it's on top of a very high wall.I can't work out exactly what it was built for, and to depress the guns far enough to overcome the height must have presented problems.



Thanks to night crawler for P.M.ing me the locations.I couldn't have done it without you buddy

Glad I was of help my boy any time you need more just PM me. Great bit of documenting.