On Summerhouse Hill just off Newton Road between Stoford and Yeovil in Somerset sits this lonely thick-walled Type 24. It’s clearly visible on GE and overlooks the southern approach to Yeovil. Main line of sight is towards Two Tower Lane which runs left to right across it’s position some several hundred yards away.
On the other side of Two Tower Lane is the Barwick House Estate which contains four follys including ‘Jack the treacle eater’. Barwick Park, as it was known, was a transit camp for 5000 American troops prior to D- day and was then used as a POW camp after the war. Yeovil itself was a bombing target due to the Westlands (now Agusta Westlands) Aircraft factory and was also in the flight path for Bristol raids.
The view is commanding with Rampisham Down Transmitting station in direct line of sight some 10 miles distant. From the information I have, its only purpose was to cover the southern approach.
The five embrasures are approx 12” x 12” and have steel plates embedded in the concrete. The pillbox is in good general condition inside (albeit chavved) although there are a number of external surface cracks which can be seen in the photos. There is clear evidence of wood shuttering inside.
It has it’s back to the site of the now overbuilt Yeovil Town railway station a mile away and faces (slightly to the left but not visible) Yeovil Junction station.
Well worth reading this link I found. Although it merely mentions this pillbox, the young boy’s account of the war years in Yeovil is touching and insightful.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/01/a3193201.shtml
Anyway, on with the pics;
peek a boo
Entrance
Metalwork
Plinth
Roof
Surface cracks
Floor detritus
Central viewpoint
Mixed symbolism
more internals
No visit to my most local site is complete without this pumping station building on the way home
or this
Hope you enjoyed it. Will keep um comin'
On the other side of Two Tower Lane is the Barwick House Estate which contains four follys including ‘Jack the treacle eater’. Barwick Park, as it was known, was a transit camp for 5000 American troops prior to D- day and was then used as a POW camp after the war. Yeovil itself was a bombing target due to the Westlands (now Agusta Westlands) Aircraft factory and was also in the flight path for Bristol raids.
The view is commanding with Rampisham Down Transmitting station in direct line of sight some 10 miles distant. From the information I have, its only purpose was to cover the southern approach.
The five embrasures are approx 12” x 12” and have steel plates embedded in the concrete. The pillbox is in good general condition inside (albeit chavved) although there are a number of external surface cracks which can be seen in the photos. There is clear evidence of wood shuttering inside.
It has it’s back to the site of the now overbuilt Yeovil Town railway station a mile away and faces (slightly to the left but not visible) Yeovil Junction station.
Well worth reading this link I found. Although it merely mentions this pillbox, the young boy’s account of the war years in Yeovil is touching and insightful.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/01/a3193201.shtml
Anyway, on with the pics;
peek a boo
Entrance
Metalwork
Plinth
Roof
Surface cracks
Floor detritus
Central viewpoint
Mixed symbolism
more internals
No visit to my most local site is complete without this pumping station building on the way home
or this
Hope you enjoyed it. Will keep um comin'
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