World War II pillbox at Sugar Sands (Longhoughton)
NU 261 158. Sugar Sands pillbox. Concrete structure, now collapsed. (1)
Series of large, scattered, irregular reinforced concrete slabs located at the base of the steeply-sloping level at NU 261 159 at the eastern end of Sugar Sands between the slope and the rocky foreshore. A series of slab remain more in situ - though tilted - within the sandy slope. The remaining slabs (20+?) are a series of broken and scattered slabs of reinforced concrete with prolific whinstone chips and occasional iron bars evidently making up a pillbox or other defensive structure of World War II date with their angled shapes and at least two with loopholes (unlined) showing the construction as a series of layer of concrete laid in wooden frames. The slabs and fragments lie scattered about - possibly blown apart - and it is impossible to say if the internal or external faces are now visible. These slabs are 3m by 2m by 0.60m sizr at the largest, whilst other fragments are smaller and more rounded. There is one fragment with a square feature 0.05 sq m infilled with wood of unknown purpose.
The pillbox would have been located near the bottom of the slape slope cliff behind the rocky foreshore would have afforded some camoflague. It is not truly possible to say which way the structure faced, since most of the structure has been dispersed - but Sugar Sands to the immediate west seems the most likely.
The scatter is about 31 east to west and about 10m north to south, with large slabs each with rectangular gun loops evident at each end of the scatter. Some of the slabs are cracking along the lines of the forming concrete layers, whilst others are cracking more generally. Some slabs imply the pillbox to have been multiangular with angles, but of which overall shape it is now impossible to say. Some of the fragments and slabs include patches of a very sandy cement, evidently to suppport some of the flaky concrete and shaped (around the upper part of a loophole?). (2)
The gun emplacement is recorded at the base of the cliff near Longhoughton. This is quite delapidated. (3)
A Second World War pillbox is visible as a structure on air photographs, centred at NU 2613 1588. This feature is probably associated with defences to the south (UID 1470230 and UID 1470236). No surface features are visible on the latest 1999 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (4a)
General association with HER 33516 and HER 33517. (4)
Series of large, scattered, irregular reinforced concrete slabs located at the base of the steeply-sloping level at NU 261 159 at the eastern end of Sugar Sands between the slope and the rocky foreshore. A series of slab remain more in situ - though tilted - within the sandy slope. The remaining slabs (20+?) are a series of broken and scattered slabs of reinforced concrete with prolific whinstone chips and occasional iron bars evidently making up a pillbox or other defensive structure of World War II date with their angled shapes and at least two with loopholes (unlined) showing the construction as a series of layer of concrete laid in wooden frames. The slabs and fragments lie scattered about - possibly blown apart - and it is impossible to say if the internal or external faces are now visible. These slabs are 3m by 2m by 0.60m sizr at the largest, whilst other fragments are smaller and more rounded. There is one fragment with a square feature 0.05 sq m infilled with wood of unknown purpose.
The pillbox would have been located near the bottom of the slape slope cliff behind the rocky foreshore would have afforded some camoflague. It is not truly possible to say which way the structure faced, since most of the structure has been dispersed - but Sugar Sands to the immediate west seems the most likely.
The scatter is about 31 east to west and about 10m north to south, with large slabs each with rectangular gun loops evident at each end of the scatter. Some of the slabs are cracking along the lines of the forming concrete layers, whilst others are cracking more generally. Some slabs imply the pillbox to have been multiangular with angles, but of which overall shape it is now impossible to say. Some of the fragments and slabs include patches of a very sandy cement, evidently to suppport some of the flaky concrete and shaped (around the upper part of a loophole?). (2)
The gun emplacement is recorded at the base of the cliff near Longhoughton. This is quite delapidated. (3)
A Second World War pillbox is visible as a structure on air photographs, centred at NU 2613 1588. This feature is probably associated with defences to the south (UID 1470230 and UID 1470236). No surface features are visible on the latest 1999 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. (4a)
General association with HER 33516 and HER 33517. (4)
N5682
Second World War (1939 to 1945)
FIELD SURVEY, Northumberland Coastal Survey 1992; GUARD
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: North East Coast NMP Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey ; Archaeological Research Services
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION, English Heritage: North East Coast NMP Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey ; Archaeological Research Services
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