World War II Defences: anti-tank cubes and dummy pill box along River Mews and to walled garden south of the Crown Hotel is a Grade II listed building in the Dorset local planning authority area, England. First listed on 5 January 2012. Defensive structure.

World War II Defences: anti-tank cubes and dummy pill box along River Mews and to walled garden south of the Crown Hotel

WRENN ID
bitter-forge-blackthorn
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Dorset
Constituency
North Dorset MP: Simon Hoare (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
5 January 2012
Type
Defensive structure
Address
World War II Defences: anti-tank cubes and dummy pill box along River Mews and to walled garden south of the Crown Hotel, West Street, Blandford Forum
OS grid reference
ST 883 062
Coordinates
50.85553, -2.16743
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

This listing describes a series of World War II defences, specifically anti-tank obstacles, constructed around 1940-1941 as part of the Blandford Forum Anti-Tank Island. The main features include a pre-existing late 18th century to early 19th century brick wall that encloses a rectangular garden south of the Crown Hotel. This wall has been reinforced with concrete cubes against the east wall and a concrete brick-faced 'dummy' pill box attached to the outside of the south wall.

Additionally, there are two concrete defence cubes located in the car park south of the Crown Hotel, on the north side of River Mews. On the south side of River Mews, at the corner with West Street, there are two more concrete cubes along with one concrete 'dragon tooth', which is a cube topped with a pyramidal cap.

Local climate

World War II Defences: anti-tank cubes and dummy pill box along River Mews and to walled garden south of the Crown Hotel receives an average of 810 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 52% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 63% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 25 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 73% of listed buildings. Of these, 10 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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