First visited in the summer of 2012, Bowers Gifford is home to five surviving pillboxes which would have formed part of the GHQ defence line. Fifty of these lines were built and this particular one stretched from Canvey Island up to Colchester and would have been the first line of defence for London. Around 400…
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In a field parallel to the A12 lies two remains from the Cold War. Opened in July 1959 is the Royal Observers Corps (ROC) Post at Hatfield Peverel – built to monitor the radiation of a nuclear bomb; if one was ever dropped. Situated right next to the ROC post is a is a Type…
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It’s been apart of the Kent skyline for almost 40 years although in mid-2016 the time was up for this iconic structure when it demolished in a matter of seconds. Thousands of people watched as the demolition was streamed online, live from the BBC helicopter. At 11am on September 7th, experts detonated the 801ft chimney,…
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The Isle of Grain is scattered with historic remains and it’s prime location means that it would be essential for protecting the capital from invasion. During the Second World War, anti-tank obstacles were constructed to prevent any German vehicles entering British soil. Scattered along the beach at Grain, these defences have been Grade II listed…
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TN13, or Bowaters Farm Anti-Aircraft Battery, was built at the outbreak of the Second World War. Whilst many HAA sites have been demolished, we were given permission by the farm owner to have an explore around these 70 year-old remains. Built in 1939, the defence was armed with four 3.7-inch guns and later upgraded to…
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The Spigot Mortar, or a Bombard as it’s also know. They were developed in the 1930’s although it wasn’t until the Second World War that Prime Minister Winston Churchill approved the anti-tank weapon for mass production with over 20,000 produced throughout the war, issued to forces across the land. As the black and white image…
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Winchester Palace was built in the 12th-century and served as the London townhouse for the Bishops of Winchester. The Bishop of Winchester was a major landowner in Southwark, in Surrey, and he traditionally served as the King’s Royal Treasurer, performing the function of the modern Chancellor of the Exchequer and therefore had to frequently meet with…
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These anti-tank defences have been in the same spot since the Second World War. Turn back the clock and these dragons teeth acted as a movable road block, to prevent any German tanks from entering Broomfield Road. These are just one of many Second World War defences in and around Chelmsford, although these are thought…
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Berners Roding is a tiny village in the mid-Essex countryside. In fact, it is barely a village at all. Compared to a 1777 map, the village appears to have hardly changed, perhaps even shrunk. Consisting of a few farm buildings and a row of houses, it may not even be established enough to be classed…
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Situated close to the A12, this immaculately preserved ROC Post hasn’t been touched for years and is pretty much a time capsule. Built in the June of 1959, a month before the one at Hatfield Peverel, the site holds many relics that would have been in the bunker when it was first opened including old bedding,…
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