Monument record TQ 77 SE 99 - World War II Pillbox at Ratcliffe highway/Deangate Road Junction, Hoo St. Werburgh

A Concrete World War II pillbox, located on the north-west corner of a junction between Ratcliffe Highway and the road to Deangate, HoHoo St. Werburgh. The type 24 pillbox faces east and is a narrow wall version with brick skin. (1)

The pillbox was recorded prior to demolition in 2003. (2)

This feature was recorded in the English Heritage report on the Second World War Stop Line for the Hoo Peninsula, part of the wider Hoo Peninsula study. The report states that this is a "Second World War Type 24 reinforced concrete pillbox with brick skin was located on the north-west corner of the junction between Ratcliffe Highway and the road to Deansgate (Bells Lane). The pillbox was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project and was recorded by field survey in 1995. It was visible on aerial photographs in 2003, and was destroyed by road widening after that date. (3)

Concrete pillbox. Concrete type 24 pillbox facing E: narrow wall version with brick skin. On NW corner of junction between Ratcliffe Highway and the road to Deangate, Hoo area. (1)

The hexagonal pillbox described in authority 1 was mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project, and was also recorded by field survey in 1995. It was visible on aerial photographs in 2003, and was destroyed by road widening after that date. This pillbox formed part of the defences associated with the Hoo Stop Line (Monument 1542577), a system of anti tank ditches, gun emplacements and pillboxes constructed in 1940 across the south western third of the Hoo Peninsula, from the Medway to the Thames. Defensive features associated with this pilbox include a section of the Stop Line's anti tank ditch (Monument 1542630) which lies 280 m to the east, and several other pillboxes (Monuments 1418680, 1418681, 1418711). The Lodge Hill Royal Naval Armaments Depot (Monument 1077634) is located about 450 m to the north west. (2-4)

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Site visit by VTC Smith 10/9/95 (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<2> Victor Smith, 2005, A Second World War Pillbox at the Deangate (Four Wents) Crossroads, Hoo St. Werburgh, Kent: Historic Building Survey (Unpublished document). SKE18167.

<3> historic england, 2014, Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project: Second World War Stop Line: Hoo St Werburgh to Higham Marshes. Research Report 9-2014. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31599.

<4> Council for British Archaeology, 2002, Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). SKE32029.