At the junction of the Sadlers Farm roundabout and Tarpots on the A13 road lies a suspected wartime remnant passed by hundreds of people everyday that goes largely unnoticed. The A13 originally formed the London-Southend road that historically connected the capital to Southend, and was a frequent route for holiday makers as well as being a vital connection between the capital and south-east Essex.
During the Second World War, when threats of a German invasion were high in mid 1940, signposts were removed and major routes fitted with obstacles which could be utilized to slow an enemy assault. Furthermore, people’s freedom of movement was restricted as seaside towns became defended strongpoints lined with fortifications against amphibious landings.
This rare surviving roadblock likely formed one of two either side of the original road between which a pole or rope obstacle could have been placed to render the road unusable, perhaps forming a defensive position where a Home Guard ambush might have taken place. To the immediate west of the modern Sadlers Farm roundabout spanned the GHQ stop line from Canvey Island running north up the east of England, giving further significance to the defensive importance of this area.
Whilst the wartime origin of this block has not been certified, it has been acknowledged to have been of probable wartime origin by both The Bay Museum, Canvey Island and Benfleet Community Archive (see https://www.benfleethistory.org.uk/content/browse-articles/mysteries/home-guard-defences).
This entry was posted in Location Report
