Hi Roger,
I think the Blackpool example is rather more sophisticated that the ones at Burscough and Rob's example. These latter sites are more of a brick-lined pit with a simple overhead cover slab supported on corner pillars, whereas the Blackpool example looks like rather more thought has gone into its design and construction – see e.g. the detail of the slit construction on photo no. 5 on the Blackpool Pillbox website below.
There is a good image of the Martin Lane, Burscough, site on Wikipedia – see http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Lane_pillbox.JPG
There is a report, with a picture of this site and others around the airfield (including the 2-storey pillbox) on the ADS site. Look at Area 42 in http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/defended_cba_2005/downloads.cfm
Yours,
Peter Iles
Specialist Advisor (Archaeology)
Lancashire County Council
Development Management
PO Box 100
County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
t.01772 531550
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of THOMAS, Roger J C
Sent: 21 December 2011 13:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: WWII hardend field defences
The example at Blackpool airfield is very similar, apart from the fact that there is an anti-aircraft light machine-gun weapons pit built up on its roof. Somewhere in amongst my old B&W photos I took in the late 1970s, I do have some images of one of these defence posts at Burscough, but I haven't got time to go looking for them now. By the way, this design seems to have been used throughout Western Command, not just in Lancashire and Cheshire, as I have two surviving examples back home in Pembrokeshire at Frainslake Beach. Should anyone like to see a photo of one of these drop me your e-mail address and I will forward one to you.
Regards,
Roger J C Thomas
Military Support Officer - English Heritage
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Iles, Peter
Sent: 21 December 2011 12:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: WWII hardend field defences
I have a couple of these on the HER, in the vicinity of Burscough Airfield, and they are similar in design to that shown in Rob's photos. They have been identified as machine-gun posts by 'a local enthusiast'.
A variant is near Blackpool airfield – see the first pictures at http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/blackpoolpillboxespage.htm
Peter Iles
Specialist Advisor (Archaeology)
Lancashire County Council
Development Management
PO Box 100
County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
t.01772 531550
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of EDWARDS, Robert (Environment)
Sent: 21 December 2011 10:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: WWII hardend field defences
Dear all,
We have a number of small structures, possible machine gun emplacements, located on the approaches to Chester. These structures have a square 6 inch/150mm thick concrete roof on brick pillars (occasionally with traces of the dark green camouflage paint. They have a very low profile and seem to have open sides, rather than embrasures. They have an internal wall, presumably as protection for the rear of the structure where the entrance steps are located.
I haven’t seen anything similar elsewhere, but there are similarities in the roof construction with the Dover Quad pillbox. I was wondering if ant list members have seen anything similar or know a bit more about this type of structure (I have checked DOB). Photo attached.
Best wishes
Rob
Rob Edwards
Historic Environment Records Officer
Cheshire Archaeology Planning Advisory Service
Tel: 01244 973667
Location: The Forum, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2HS.
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