This is a brick-shuttered concrete Type 28 anti-tank pillbox overlooking the Canterbury to Dover Railway. It faces roughly eastwards, down the railway, presumably to fire on enemy tanks advancing down the line towards London. Specifically it will have covered a railblock just down the line to the east. This stretch of the Canterbury to Dover Railway formed part of the Dover, Canterbury, Whitstable Stop Line, and the pillbox may also have formed part of the stop-line defences. The pillbox is square, but with canted corners; traces of camouflage paint survive externally; the roof is of reinforced concrete, with a bevelled edge. The wide entrance at the rear was suitable for anti-tank guns; this side of the pillbox is sunk slightly into the field at the top of the cutting. This was pillbox No.112 in the 1940 list of pillboxes in East Kent (2 December); it was in Sector 3 of the area, at the stated Military Grid reference R 665727. 225 Anti-Tank Battery Royal artillery, who were based at Adisham from the middle of May 1941, and who then operated twelve anti-tank guns on the Dover-Canterbury-Whitstable stop-line, are known to have operated a six-pounder anti-tank gun here. A holdfast for a six-pounder anti-tank gun is believed to survive, internally. The pillbox is extant and is thought to be in good condition. Secondary components of the locality, such as excavated defences, may survive archaeologically in the near vicinity.
Owner : Private
Publicly accessible : Unknown
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : good
Date of visit :

John Herbert, Photograph by John Herbert (digital copy in project archive) (Photograph). SKE14708.

John Herbert, Photograph by John Herbert (digital copy in project archive) (Photograph). Ske14708.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/40, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE14705.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/40, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). Ske14705.

57 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 01/01/41, War Diary 57 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery (Unpublished document). SKE14706.

57 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery, 01/01/41, War Diary 57 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery (Unpublished document). Ske14706.

Finch R., 01/01/91, Some Pillboxes and Stop Lines (Article in serial). SKE14704.

Finch R., 01/01/91, Some Pillboxes and Stop Lines (Article in serial). Ske14704.

Burridge D., 01/01/97, 20th century defences in Britain: Kent (Bibliographic reference). SKE14707.

Burridge D., 01/01/97, 20th century defences in Britain: Kent (Bibliographic reference). Ske14707.