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Block house at SY 69652 73530 (East Weare Batteries #1)

A demolished block house of c. 1905 date, located at East Weare (grid reference: SY 69652 73530). It was one of a number of block houses to be built around the perimeter of East Weare Batteries in c. 1905, when an unclimbable steel fence was added around A, B and C Batteries. This block house was found on the south-east outskirts of the Verne Citadel, and south-west of A Battery. Built of reinforced concrete, it had a six-sided plan and wide embrasures for rifle fire both front and flank. The block house was to be manned by infantry to defend against a landward attack. During World War II, the block house was utilised as a pillbox as part of British anti-invasion preparations, at a time when the German's invasion plan, Operation Sea Lion, was considered a major threat.

As part of the Defence of Britain Project, the structure was inspected in 1995 and was recorded as being in good condition. By this time, the entrance had been sealed with breeze blocks. By 2015, it remained in a good state, although it had become surrounded by undergrowth and had some ivy attached to its walls. Unlike the other block houses surrounding East Weare Batteries, this particular example was located outside of Portland Port Ltd's boundary fencing. It was accessible via a public footpath leading under the cliff-face, close to Nicodemus Knob.

In 2016, Portland Port Ltd demolished the block house during the erection of new boundary fencing.

References
1) Pastscape - Monument No. 1420382 - website page

Gallery

These images can be enlarged by clicking on them. Some images have information attached to them, and to view this you can either enlarge the image or hover the mouse over each thumbnail.
The block house as seen in 2014.
With very little graffiti - this being the most notable example.
The embrasures of the block house as seen from the outside, looking in.
Overgrowth pushing through one of the embrasures.
The interior of the structure.
And the ceiling.
The entrance sealed with breeze blocks had kept the interior clean.
From the rooftop of the structure, A Battery of East Weare Batteries can be seen.
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