Site of Second World War Anti-Tank Pimples/Road Barrier, Beach Road, Clacton-on-Sea (EHER 21222)

Site of Second World War Anti-Tank Pimples/Road Barrier, now destroyed.

WWII Defence of Clacton survey Contemporary records state, “Concrete pimples, dannert wire and rails. ‘Laxfield’, 3, Beach Road, Garden” and “Concrete pimples, dannert wiring, fortification of front rooms, landing and kitchen. 19, Marine Parade, Garden.” <1> These entries refer to a 5-row fixed anti-tank pimple barrier which ran across Beach Road from No. 3 on the W side to No. 19 Marine Parade East on the opposite side. The pimples can be seen very clearly on an aerial photograph taken in July 1941, around 30 in all. <2> <3> Site visited by Nash, 2007 The site of this barrier remains very much as it must have done in 1941. No, 3, “Laxfield” still survives as the Laxfield Hotel. Across the road, No 19 remains, on the corner of Beach Road and Rosemary Crescent, with bay windows and small balconies on the first and second floors overlooking both the site of the barrier and a part of the seafront. <4>