Two First World War Pillboxes on Bradfield Common

Two First World War pillboxes were built between 1916 and 1918. They have concrete block walls, a concrete roof slab supported by steel beams, and steel doors with gun loop shutters.

The pillboxes are circular in shape, each with one entrance leading to a single internal space. The northern pillbox features an open-plan interior with un-rendered blockwork walls and a roof painted white. The gun loops have steel frames, and one retains its central sliding shutter section with a ring for securing it. The doors are bolted from the inside, and there are two holes in the roof that may have held ventilation pipes.

The northern pillbox, located near Common Road, is close to the road. It has roughly pointed concrete block walls topped with blocks that have curved outer faces around the roof slab, which is a single piece of cast concrete. There are five gun loops evenly spaced around the structure, with one positioned near a low, narrow doorway facing south. This doorway features its original steel double doors, which have a bolt and hasp attached to the outside.

The southern pillbox, situated further south of Common Road, is largely obscured by vegetation but appears to be similar in construction and details to the northern pillbox based on a recent photograph.