Prefabricated, Type 25, type 22 and type 24 pillboxes. Swallowfield to Murrell Green

Well that was a cracking day out marching around the English countryside.  The day was beautiful and the temptation to get back out for another hunt and fill in some of the gaps i had left last year needed to be completed.  Well almost.  I still have a few pillboxes to locate and document to the rear of Swallowfield, do more research into a few locations and ensure that i snap these up the next time i am down in the area.  A real first for me was the Type 25 pillboxes.  Of these these are five in an area dotted around the River Hart  and River Whitewater so locating them and indeed being on the right side of the river was proving difficult.  I found those numbered 3 and 4 which was conveniently sprayed onto the external shuttering of the pillbox. I loved finding these two examples, but they are actually a beast to climb in and out of without falling head first into the pillbox.

Travelling firstly up to the rear of Swallowfield and to the rear of Wellington Country Park, i parked the car and cut through to the fields that led down towards Bramshill and Grouse Green.  Effectively following the River Whitewater which would have been a natural line of defence or 'stop' that was utilised in the countries defensive strategy. It was a real pleasure walking in the sunshine and following the shimmer and glint of the river.  I still cannot get used to those pheasants leaping into the air at the last minute though!

PILLBOX (PREFABRICATED): S0006973

Riseley Mill, North of Bramshill. Square prefabricated pillbox, made of hollow pre-cast concrete panels bolted together with a concrete filling. Approx. 13ft square, with pre-formed embrasures in all four sides, including one beside the entrance. L-shaped blast wall. Square concrete-faced type 26 pillbox - faces North West. Steps down. External entrance blast wall.

The first Prefab i have come across with loophole shutters partly evident and a blast wall protecting the entrance.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/25): S0007039

Type 25 circular pillbox, with corrugated iron shuttering in place. Internally, 6ft in diameter with a low entrance and 3 rifle embrasures. Walls 12ins thick. Has a 'window-type' entrance - faces West. In very good condition. Corrugated iron shuttering still in place. Maker's name clearly visible. 'ARMCO MADE IN MIDDLETOWN, OHIO'.  

This pillbox is stunning.  Firstly the condition it is in and also because it is the first Type 25 i have successfully located.  The last attempt to get to this pillbox was almost a year ago, it was raining heavily and the field was full of cows.  It was a sod that moment.  How conditions change.  Perfect.

Cutting over the obligatory barbed wire fence, having a wobble and hopping over, i skirted the field and crossed over a connecting bridge between the fields.  It was easy to locate for a change.  the others further down were elusive or found by accident.  Out of the five in the area, i located two.  The walk itself was excellent, relaxing, and walking the path through the bluebells in the woods was a joy.  No hassles, no grief and no pressure.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/25): S0011136

In woods near Holdshott Farm, Hazeley. 

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) not marked up on the DoB.

Sat just in the line of trees off Borough Court Common is this Type 24.  As you can see it still has it's cammo support poles in place.  Flooded up to an inch of water inside, this would have originally ran alongside an AT Trench.  This line of pillboxes in the area backs onto Damale's Farm which i covered in another report.  I walked out through to the rear of the copse of trees backing onto the fields and aside from two previous pillboxes i had documented previously, there was no evidence of any further discoveries.

Location : 51 17'45.90"N  0 56'19.79"W  South Western facing.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011198

Dogtail Cottage, near Murrell Green. Sat to the rear of the property and close to the fence line it was simply a case of cutting through the woods.  Interesting concept i suppose.

 

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011199

Borough Court, Murrell Green. Slightly further up the road are three pillboxes sat in the line of the trees edging onto the field.  There is a public footpath which takes to out onto the edge of this line of trees but to actually access these pillboxes it was a case of getting under the barbed wire.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0010895

Sat slightly further back in the same line of trees, there are four pillboxes in total looking out onto this field.  

 

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0010840

Back out onto Borough Court Road and opposite to Scutts Farm is the distinctive shape of a pillbox.  As i knew it was here it wasn't too hard to find.  The only real evidence to any one was the slight gap where the entrance is. There is no AR Wall in this pillbox and considerable damage to the loophole to the left hand side as you enter the pillbox. 

What usually greets anyone going into a pillbox - darkness and the unknown.

The late eventing sun was casting some interesting shadows. I love this time of day.  Turning left onto the A30 and then second right i parked up in Totters Lane and cut over the public right of way.  To the left in the field and partially obscured by the hedgerow is this Type 24.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0011197

The area still needs exploration and for myself to personally get to other pillboxes that i never reached.  The good thing is that i have finally connected up a large run of defences which finally take me back out towards Fleet.  I had a great time out there and the solitude of doing such a report is rewarding.  It is something i love to do and often unexpected discoveries and experiences make up for the bad explores and the inclement weather sometimes experienced.  I still managed to cut myself, get covered in mud but really enjoyed those Type 25 pillboxes.

I hope you enjoy the report.  Thanks for reading.