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Balmedie Links

Anti Tank Blocks (Second World War), Pillbox(S) (Second World War)

Site Name Balmedie Links

Classification Anti Tank Blocks (Second World War), Pillbox(S) (Second World War)

Canmore ID 81393

Site Number NJ91NE 18

NGR NJ 97594 17603

NGR Description 97622 17631, NJ 97599 17628 and NJ 97575 17561

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/81393

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeenshire
  • Parish Belhelvie
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District Gordon
  • Former County Aberdeenshire

Archaeology Notes

NJ91NE 18 9766 1756, 9766 1762 and 9769 1764

For pillbox to the north (NJ 9807 1836), see NJ91NE 15.

GRC cite locations of pillboxes as NJ 9766 1756 (GRC 20), 9766 1762 (GRC 21) and 9769 1764 (GRC 22).

NMRS, MS/712/9.

Seen as a group of three, all of unusual construction

(GRC 20). NJ 9766 1756. 7 sides, 1 door with blast wall, 9 loopholes; about 14ft long, 12ft wide, 7 ft high; inside ricochet wall.

(GRC 21). NJ 9766 1762. One of two similar pillboxes in the group. All unusual, being round with 4 flat sides, 1 door with blast wall, 5 loopholes. About 10ft in diameter with central wall.

(GRC 22). NJ 9769 1764. Very similar to GRC 21, except inside wall different.

Visited by Mr J Guy, 10 July 1992.

NMRS, MS/712/8.

This group of three pillboxes lies on the landward side of the dunes of Balmedie Links, overlooking an area of level ground to the W. All three have brick walls with concrete roofs and floors.

The northernmost (NJ 9769 1764) is polygonal, but with a rounded W face, and measures 5.65m in diameter over walls 0.93m thick. It is equipped with four embrasures distributed around its N and W sides, and the entrance on the S is protected by a baffle.

The second pillbox (NJ 9766 1762) is situated 19m to the SW, buried in sand up to the level of its embrasures, and of similar design.

The southernmost pillbox (NJ 9766 1756) of the group, lying a further 70m to the SW, is again hexagonal in plan and is slightly larger with walls 0.9m thick. Its W, S and E faces respectively are pierced by a pair of embrasures, with single embrasures in its shorter SW and SE faces, and an entrance protected by a baffle in its N face.

The interior of each of the pillboxes, which could not be entered on the date of visit, is sub-divided by a wall.

Visited by RCAHMS (IF, JRS), 4 March 1996.

Activities

Change Of Location (12 September 2022)

Examination of aerial photography and current edition of OS MasterMap show that the locations of the pillbox are in error

The northernmost (NJ 9769 1764) is located at NJ 97622 17631.

The second pillbox (NJ 9766 1762) is located at NJ 97599 17628.

The southernmost pillbox (NJ 9766 1756) is located at NJ 97575 17561.

Information from HES 12 September 2022

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