Second World War pillbox at Bowers Hall (EHER 20098)

Second World War rectangular infantry pillbox, with brick shuttering. Described as an Eastern Command Type in 'Ironside's Line'. It is at Bowers Hall.

From the road barrier at Church Road the anti-tank ditch crossed the fields in a north-east direction to a point at approximately TQ 7615 8805 before heading north-westwards to cross London Road at TQ 7595 8840. A few yards north of the ditch, at TQ 7577 8784, a pillbox stood on the south side of a small copse and pond. The clear path of the ditch, the pillboxes and road barriers can be seen on an aerial photograph taken in 1946. <1> The copse, pond and all the surrounding hedges have now gone but the pillbox remains. It is a 15 feet 10 inches wide x 14 feet 10 inches deep, rectangular type built of brick and concrete. Some of the outer brickwork is deteriorating slightly. On its north-west side there is a blast wall which is leaning slightly inwards. Pillboxes were usually shuttered with wood or brickwork and the concrete poured between the shuttering. Some of the brick shuttering has fallen from the blast wall of this pillbox showing the inner core of concrete. Two photos of site. <2> NRHE data transfer: Rectangular infantry pillbox, with brick shuttering. Pillbox variant. Described as an Eastern Command Type in 'Ironside's Line'. Bowers Hall. <3>