ww-kent-pillbox-cropWartime Pillboxes, Peacetime Britain

Built to withstand the ravages of war, concrete pillboxes also defy time. Many are still standing. 
ww-kent-pillbox-house

This pillbox in the sleepy village of Ickham near Canterbury probably would have seen plenty of action if the Nazis invaded Britain.

Today, it adjoins a private house converted from a granary (the large grain door and pulley have been preserved).

pillbox-hampermill-lakeAlso extant is a naturally camouflaged pillbox at Hampermill Lake in Hertfordshire, near northwest London.

The lake borders Merchant Taylor’s school, and I wonder if this pillbox was used for training rather than actual defence. Larger photos of this pillbox and  Hampermill Lake are at the bottom of the page.

Several websites are dedicated to pillboxes and provide information for further reading:

http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/

http://www.pillboxesuk.co.uk/

pillbox-hampermill-lake

Pillbox at Hampermill Lake.

hampermill-lake

Hampermill Lake

 

One thought on “U.K. Pillboxes

  1. Dr Mike Osborne

    The lake would not have been there when the fortifications of the Outer London Defence Line ‘A’ were constructed in 1940 so using the River Colne as an anti-tank ditch, the pillboxes supported the defending forces- very much for real.

    Reply

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