Monument record MWX1432 - Second World War Pillbox, White Nothe, Chaldon Herring

A very unusual structure in that it appears to be a pillbox with a Royal Observer Corps observation post built on top. A group of structures are visible at this location on RAF aerial photographs taken in 1949. The central sturcture is considered likely to be the pillbox described above. The other structures may be associated with this or later additions to this site.

A very unusual structure in that it appears to be a pillbox with a Royal Observer Corps observation post built on top. It is constructed of light brown coloured bricks (8.5ins x 4ins) and concrete. The E side wall has 2 brick steps to allow access to 5 iron rungs fixed into the wall, allowing access to the pillbox roof and O.P. Once on the roof, another 2 brick steps allow access through a hole in the O.P. brick wall. There are 3 embrasures positioned around the pillbox wall, each 10ins x 4ins on the outside widening out to 20ins x 9.5ins on the inside of the structure. The lower walls are 12ins thick and 7ft high. The rear wall is built of consolidated stone which appears to have already been in place before construction began. The whole structure appears to be built on a concrete raft. The pillbox roof is 4.5ins concrete which has been shuttered in 6ins sections. The observation post has a 5ft high wall around it with a 'V' shaped concrete roof at the front and a concrete shelter at the rear (4.5ins deep/6.5ins wide/4ins thick). There are 3 small square shaped recesses cut into the rear roof. In the shelter a small concrete platform provides a storage facility. Situated on National Trust land. <1-3> The remains of an early nineteenth century lookout point, which were subsequently incorporated in a second world war observer point. <4> A group of structures are visible on aerial photographs <5> of White Nothe cliff and were digitally plotted during the South West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Dorset). The central structure (NGR SY 77235 80843) is considered likely to be the pillbox described above. The other structures may be associated with this or later additions to this site. These features are still visible on the most recent comprehensive aerial images available to the project.

Record last edited

Aug 11 2023 3:10PM