Horton Canal Pill Box - 16/4/10

[Delbert]

The pill box at Horton near Devizes in wiltshire. Built next to the Kennet and Avon Canal as part of the defences just in case the Germans invaded





They were to be manned by the home guard too defend the line. They were death traps - it was know by higher command that if you were in one when the attack reached you there was no chance of survival.

I used to play in this one as a lad - my grandparents worked on the "Mays" farm in Coate just down the road. The Mays were one of the big farmer families of the area. Their son is Simon May - he wrote the theme tune to "Eastenders". (more useless knowledge)



Just outside the pill box are these mysterious bushes.......



These were concrete tank stops. There would have been two more over the road (now gone). The defenders stretched steel cables over the road to block the road. How effective it was we will never know. They are now covered in ivy but if you look close you can still see the steel rings....