Site of Second World War pillbox or observation post, cliff edge, Woodberry Avenue (EHER 21362)

This is the site of Second World War pillbox or observation post. It is possible that the observation post was an early construction replaced at a later date by the pillbox or that they lay very close to each other.

An aerial photograph taken in July 1946 shows what appears to be a pillbox, with an anti-aircraft machine-gun well, on the cliff edge east of Woodberry Avenue. It can be seen on the very point of a promontory of land, high above the promenade. Oddly, another photograph, taken at ground level at apparently this location, shows not a pillbox but a sand-bagged observation post. This latter picture was taken in 1941. <1> <2> It is possible that the observation post was an early construction replaced at a later date by the pillbox or that they lay very close to each other, the pillbox out of shot in the ground level picture and the sand-bagged observation post collapsed or dismantled by 1946 when the aerial photograph was taken. In the latter case, it appears that the shot of the sand-bagged observation post was in fact taken from the roof of the pillbox. An overlay of modern map and 1946 aerial photograph shows that the cliff has receded somewhat and the exact position is now around 15 yards off the cliff edge. Visited by F. Nash in February 2010 The position is still a fine look-out point. There is no sign of the observation post but the graded slope off the cliff edge has a number of ‘French drains’, each formed of broken concrete lying in downward gullies. The concrete is typically WWII-type, very recognisable, and may well have come from the pillbox. Four photos of site. <3>