Northumberland Coast (3) – land defences

During the Second World War, the long, low, open expanse of the north Northumberland coast was considered one of the most likely points of a projected land invasion by Hitler’s Germany — and a system of land defences was rapidly set into place along, and just inland from, the coast. Many of these survive. Pillboxes (gun turrets) in various states of preservation are a reasonably familiar sight – there are 37 of them within the Northumberland Coast AONB alone – and large concrete anti-tank blocks can still be seen lying along or just above the beach in a few places. In some instances they have been incorporated into the existing landscape – anti-tank blocks at Boulmer for example were used as building materials in the harbour wall.
Despite their incongruity with the surrounding landscape, their presence is strangely appropriate for a county which can boast some of the finest defensive architecture anywhere in the UK (Warkworth castle, Dunstanburgh castle, the Elizabethan walls at Berwick-Upon-Tweed…).
The following images were taken on St Oswald’s Way, St Cuthbert’s Way and the Northumberland Coast Path between 2011 and 2012.

Concrete anti-tank blocks and the remains of a small bunker made from concrete sand bags, on the beach between Warkworth and Alnmouth

Concrete anti-tank blocks near Holy Island Causeway

Pillbox in a field near Pauperhaugh, on the River Coquet
Photos © Rudolf Abraham. No unauthorized use.