Building record TR 26 NW 1093 - Second World War Type 24 pillbox south of the Thanet Way, Chislet

This is a concrete, Type 24 pillbox south of the Thanet Way, east of Geays Farm. The Thanet Way was a major new road (1934) and would have offered invaders a very inviting route toward London; this was among a series of pillboxes built along its route, facing eastwards down the road. This pillbox faced roughly northwards, but might also have been suited to cover a highly important roadblock (and bridge demolition) where the Thanet Way crosses the River Wantsum at the edge of Canterbury District. It was pillbox No.34 in the 1940 list of pillboxes in East Kent (2 December) at the stated Military Grid reference R 674857. The embrasures are known to have triple offsets to deflect bullets, externally, and are splayed internally; they were probably fitted with timber shelves on metal brackets.
Owner : Unknown
Publicly accessible : Unknown
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : good
Date of visit :

Type 24 pillbox. Whole exterior rendered. There are traces that wooden shuttering had been used in construction. Five of the walls are of the same size and are pierced by a centrally-set embrasure. Each of these is stepped in three times from the sides, as well as the top and bottom, externally. The sixth side is longer and is pierced by two embrasures which have been left flush with the external surface: between these, there is the entrance. Internally, each embrasure behind the steps is angled away from the opening. There are no concrete shelves, however. There is evidence of some sort of shelving as there are marks on the walls indicating that brackets were once there. There is a recess [in a wall] some 10ins-12ins above the floor. The main embrasures face East, through N to W. The guns would have covered the present A299 road. About half a mile to the north, the railway line cuts through marsh land on its way to Margate.

Type 24 pillbox (wood-shuttered) situated to cover E - W route along A299 North Kent road: thin walled type 24 in exposed position in field [now] with PLAN.

Pillbox. Cassini ref 674857. At Moat Grays Farm, Marshside, on A299 road E of Herne Bay, in a field to the right of the road half a mile to the East of the Roman Gallery Hotel. (1)

Russell Chalk, CBA Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). SKE15376.

Russell Chalk, CBA Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). Ske15376.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/40, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE15377.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/40, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). Ske15377.

<1> Council for British Archaeology, 2002, Defence of Britain Project (Digital archive). SKE32029.