Scheduled Monument: World War II pillbox at Vale House, 120m north east of Glasses Farm (1020726)

Details The monument includes a World War II infantry pillbox in the garden of Vale House, situated in a prominent position in an angle formed by the road from the south west side of Roadwater and the top of the driveway to the house. The pillbox forms part of the anti-invasion defensive system established over much of the country between June and October 1940 to counter the threat of German invasion. The building has an irregular five-sided plan specifically designed to fit into its confined space and it was originally disguised as a timber-roofed garden building. It is constructed of breeze blocks with brick shuttering and has a concrete roof which originally supported a pitched shingle construction. The exterior dimensions of each of the five faces varies from between 2.1m to 3.6m across. An open doorway is set into the north west face and is flanked to the right by a small rectangular embrasure or firing-loop 0.35m wide and 0.3m high. Uniform horizontal embrasures 0.6m wide and 0.2m high are located in each of the other four faces, and all retain their original cast iron shutters. The structure is 2.6m high from ground level to the flat roof. The interior of the pillbox is 1.9m high from floor to ceiling and retains its original concrete shelving fixed in front of the embrasures to accommodate a machine-gun or anti-tank gun. The pillbox is strategically positioned between the River Washford, which flows from north east to south west on its north side, and the south western approach road to Roadwater (and ultimately to the north Somerset coast) where a road barrier was manned by the Home Guard. Selected Sources Book Reference - Title: National Monument Record - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: ST 03 NW 58 Book Reference - Author: Riley, H & Wilson-North, R - Title: The Field Archaeology of Exmoor - Date: 2001 - Page References: 168 - Type: DESC TEXT - Description: The field archaeology of World War II