Finally i woke up to a day of sunshine. Deciding to cycle down the the area where my last report was situated, i picked up the easier options today to view and revisit a pillbox that i had included in a report from last year. that was my first port of call and i then moved gradually to those i missed or have not got to in recent weeks. It's amazing how fast ivy can spread in a year and as i always carry my secateurs i decided to tackle part of the first pilllbox i visited and rescue it from nature. Sometimes its the only way to get internal shots. The report will gradually evolve with me heading down to the Basingstoke Canal and Blacksmith Bridge.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011140
Sat on Church road and just past the bridge to Blackwater river. This pillbox overlooks Salters Bridge. East facing entrance. As i mentioned - i visited this pillbox last year but again it was unrecognisable due to the heavily established Ivy that was slowly burying the pillbox. I skirted around the pillbox taking externals until i got to the entrance where i decided to tidy it up a little.
After a tidy up.
Tidy internals.
Heading off to my next location and located on the junction of Castle Hill and Swallowfield Road, sat back from the road and hidden behind the nettles, this interesting double embrasure pillbox has a total of five embrasures. Two on the north west face, overlooking the road, one on either of the sides and one located above the entrance. Rectangular in shape and set low, there is a small stream that follows the line of the field and as such floods out this pillbox. Judging by the tide mark inside the pillbox, this would be at the end of a run off from the field and virtually inaccessible when it floods. As it was there was around 6 inches of stagnant smelly water in it when i visited. I managed to take the internal shots from inside the entrance which is a very tight crawl space.
EDOBID: 11617
After stamping down the nettles and cutting away the ivy to clean up the face of the pillbox i was happy.
An initial shot taken through the right embrasure. I found the entrance so skirted the line of the hedge and found a clear spot to get into the field. The fun was then crawling under the barbed wire to slide into the recessed entrance. I came out of there covered in mud again!!
On the far left corner of to the rear of the pillbox is a set of steps but i was unable to photograph there due to trees growing between the entrance and the steps.
Again a little clean up.
All the embrasures still had the batons for the blackout curtains.
Eventually getting to New Mill Ford after finding Thatchetts Ford was under 3ft of water, i crossed Bramshill Plantation and crossed over to Plough Lane. Two Vickers Gun Emplacements are sat high up on the hill overlooking Plough Lane and Lea Bridge. The vantage point afforded would have proved a very early warming should it have ever been needed. Sister emplacments set 20ft apart and both main Vickers emplacements are South West facing. Despite all my travels this is the first time i have got inside one of these so to get into both was a huge bonus for me.
VICKERS MACHINEGUN EMPLACEMENT EDOBID: 11911
Shutter still in place.
The view of the buried embrasure.
VICKERS MACHINEGUN EMPLACEMENT EDOBID: 11910
South of Hazeley and off Red Hill i again revisited the site of two pillboxes that i had missed on my first visit.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011183
On lane from Mattingley to Hartley Wintney and Hazeley Bottom. By now it had been raining for some time but thankfully those cows were stood under the trees and didn't look interested in me this time.
The shuttering is in a poor state and looks to be falling off in lumps.
Also very fragile so no attempt was made to clean this one up.
Them damned beasties.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011182
Over the road, cutting through the line of trees and over the gate, i eventually locate the pillbox.
The internals. The pillbox was rammed with tyres an i could not enter the pillbox. I could ascertain there were will two shutters in situ.
PILLBOX: S0011142
Near Stratfield Saye. Pillbox - unclassified. Rectangular pillbox. Sat close to Chequer Lane and overlooking Stratfield Saye Bridge, three embrasures on the west face and one on the southern face. The entrance is to the rear on the eastern side. An interesting pillbox that sadly is now in a start of disrepair wit ha renting crack running all the was through from front to rear at the location of the lentil of the entrance. Also the Southern face of shuttering looks to be starting to badly fall away. As a result of this, the corrugated roof shuttering is falling away in places, more evident in the area just inside the doorway.
Apologies for the external photos but the canopy of trees was not allowing sufficient light through, also as it was raining this added to the general gloom.
Evidence of cracking possibly due to subsidence. The area was clearly marsh and very boggy underfoot.
Before i started to clean up the Southern Embrasure.
Further evidence of cracking on the internals.
Thanks for viewing.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011140
Sat on Church road and just past the bridge to Blackwater river. This pillbox overlooks Salters Bridge. East facing entrance. As i mentioned - i visited this pillbox last year but again it was unrecognisable due to the heavily established Ivy that was slowly burying the pillbox. I skirted around the pillbox taking externals until i got to the entrance where i decided to tidy it up a little.
After a tidy up.
Tidy internals.
Heading off to my next location and located on the junction of Castle Hill and Swallowfield Road, sat back from the road and hidden behind the nettles, this interesting double embrasure pillbox has a total of five embrasures. Two on the north west face, overlooking the road, one on either of the sides and one located above the entrance. Rectangular in shape and set low, there is a small stream that follows the line of the field and as such floods out this pillbox. Judging by the tide mark inside the pillbox, this would be at the end of a run off from the field and virtually inaccessible when it floods. As it was there was around 6 inches of stagnant smelly water in it when i visited. I managed to take the internal shots from inside the entrance which is a very tight crawl space.
EDOBID: 11617
After stamping down the nettles and cutting away the ivy to clean up the face of the pillbox i was happy.
An initial shot taken through the right embrasure. I found the entrance so skirted the line of the hedge and found a clear spot to get into the field. The fun was then crawling under the barbed wire to slide into the recessed entrance. I came out of there covered in mud again!!
On the far left corner of to the rear of the pillbox is a set of steps but i was unable to photograph there due to trees growing between the entrance and the steps.
Again a little clean up.
All the embrasures still had the batons for the blackout curtains.
Eventually getting to New Mill Ford after finding Thatchetts Ford was under 3ft of water, i crossed Bramshill Plantation and crossed over to Plough Lane. Two Vickers Gun Emplacements are sat high up on the hill overlooking Plough Lane and Lea Bridge. The vantage point afforded would have proved a very early warming should it have ever been needed. Sister emplacments set 20ft apart and both main Vickers emplacements are South West facing. Despite all my travels this is the first time i have got inside one of these so to get into both was a huge bonus for me.
VICKERS MACHINEGUN EMPLACEMENT EDOBID: 11911
Shutter still in place.
The view of the buried embrasure.
VICKERS MACHINEGUN EMPLACEMENT EDOBID: 11910
South of Hazeley and off Red Hill i again revisited the site of two pillboxes that i had missed on my first visit.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011183
On lane from Mattingley to Hartley Wintney and Hazeley Bottom. By now it had been raining for some time but thankfully those cows were stood under the trees and didn't look interested in me this time.
The shuttering is in a poor state and looks to be falling off in lumps.
Also very fragile so no attempt was made to clean this one up.
Them damned beasties.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011182
Over the road, cutting through the line of trees and over the gate, i eventually locate the pillbox.
The internals. The pillbox was rammed with tyres an i could not enter the pillbox. I could ascertain there were will two shutters in situ.
PILLBOX: S0011142
Near Stratfield Saye. Pillbox - unclassified. Rectangular pillbox. Sat close to Chequer Lane and overlooking Stratfield Saye Bridge, three embrasures on the west face and one on the southern face. The entrance is to the rear on the eastern side. An interesting pillbox that sadly is now in a start of disrepair wit ha renting crack running all the was through from front to rear at the location of the lentil of the entrance. Also the Southern face of shuttering looks to be starting to badly fall away. As a result of this, the corrugated roof shuttering is falling away in places, more evident in the area just inside the doorway.
Apologies for the external photos but the canopy of trees was not allowing sufficient light through, also as it was raining this added to the general gloom.
Evidence of cracking possibly due to subsidence. The area was clearly marsh and very boggy underfoot.
Before i started to clean up the Southern Embrasure.
Further evidence of cracking on the internals.
Thanks for viewing.
