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This is a
photograph (c.1975) of the former White Lion Inn, inside which the pillbox,
pictured below, was built. |
(Photo: courtesy of GWYNETH
LEIGHTON)
| THIS STRUCTURE LIES AT THE
JUNCTION OF THE BRIDGWATER & TAUNTON CANAL AND THE OLD TAUNTON & CHARD
CANAL WHICH, FROM THIS POINT, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING SOUTHWARD. |
%20entrance%20with%20one%20of%20two%20loopholes%20guarding%20xx.JPG)
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This pillbox is the one described in the
book Somerset at War 1939 - 1945, by Mac Hawkins, as
"entirely constructed within a house without disturbing the
structure". The house was in fact a public house called the 'White
Lion' which was converted from one of a pair of cottages situated on
the eastern bank of the Bridgwater and Taunton canal at Creech St.
Michael.
Some time after the war the pub
reverted back to a cottage which is now demolished. The pillbox, the
concrete of which was too tough to demolish, still has some of the
stone and brick outer structure in place. The box is long and
narrow and has two loopholes in each of the long walls and one in
each of the narrow east and west walls.
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%20side%20facing%20south%20-%20Taunton%20direction%20xx.JPG)
| In this southern view of
the box can be seen one of the two loopholes on this side. The pub's
original walls served as the box's shuttering. |
%20%20first%20box%20south%20of%20main%20road%20bridge%20CSM%20ST271256%20xx.JPG)
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The western loophole
facing the canal. |
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