Monument record TQ 77 SW 66 - World War II anti tank blockhouse, The Old Rectory, Cliffe

Rectangular brick, concrete, gun port facing north. Very Overgrown possible traces of a second building at its side. (1)

This feature is recorded in the English Heritage report on the Second World War Stop Line in the Hoo Peninsula. The report states:"Second World War Type 28 reinforced concrete artillery pillbox with brick shuttering located within an orchard immediately to the south of Rectory Road. It was recorded to the west of the anti-tank ditch, partially concealed by trees, on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947. Condition: The area is under tree cover on recent aerial imagery (eg PGA 2003, Google Earth 2013) but a field visit in may 2015 confirmed that it is still extant, although obscured by vegetation." (2)

Description from record TQ 77 SW 187:
In Orchard. (1)


Concrete anti-tank pillbox with brick shuttering: a shed extension has been added.

Pillbox. Anti-tank gun pillbox in orchard. Behind hedge in orchard, Cliffe. (1)

The Second World War rectangular anti-tank pillbox with a later shed extension described in authority 1 is visible, although partially concealed by trees, on aerial photographs taken in 1946 and 1947 and possibly also in 1944. This rectangular pillbox is one element within the supporting defences of a Stop Line (Monument 1542577) constructed in 1940 across the south western third of the Hoo Peninsula, from the Medway to the Thames. It is closely associated with part of the Stop Line's anti tank ditch (Monument 1542694) and other pillboxes (Monuments 1543680, 1418700, 1544006). The pillbox and the rest of the Stop Line defence system have been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. (2-4)

It is possible that authority 1 refers to two separate structures: a pillbox with an extension and a pillbox in an orchard. The grid reference assigned to this record corresponds with a pillbox and shed extension. A second anti tank pillbox, within an orchard, has been recorded sepatately about 120m to the north (Monument 1544006 at TQ 7343 7503). (3)

<1> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites (Index). SKE6445.

<2> 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.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 2002, Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). SKE32029.