Pair of Second World War pillboxes, A635, Greenfield, Saddleworth Moor

Pair of linked pillboxes, constructed around 1940-1941.

MATERIALS: orange brick, sandstone, reinforced concrete.

PLAN: the two pillboxes are both rectangular with one angled corner and are linked by an L-shaped passageway. A rectangular roof entrance at the angle of the passageway gives access to both pillboxes. The upper pillbox has an angled north-west corner, two embrasures in the north wall, facing the road, and a partial raised upper level on the south-west side with an embrasure facing south, overlooking the passageway entrance. The lower pillbox has an angled north-east corner, with two embrasures, facing north and north-east.

EXTERIOR: the pillboxes are built into the hillside with only the upper part of both visible; the L-shaped passageway is beneath ground level. The pillboxes are built of orange brick with reinforced concrete roofs.

The upper pillbox is located just above a large, natural rock outcrop. The reinforced concrete roof is partially visible, though similar in colour to the natural rocks surrounding it, and partially covered with grassed earth; the visible concrete has rounded edges. The visible upper parts of the walls are brick. The narrow-splayed embrasures are suitable for rifles or light machine guns. Above the two north embrasures and one south embrasure are projecting sandstone slabs which continue through the width of the brick walls. There are also projecting stone slabs below the north embrasures which continue through the walls.

The lower pillbox is located amongst a scatter of rocks. The reinforced concrete roof has rounded edges and is similar in colour to the natural rock and is partially covered by grass. The visible upper parts of the walls are brick with a flush band of sandstone slabs beneath the two upper rows of bricks. Lower down on the northern side, just above ground level, are projecting sandstone slabs, which also form embrasure lintels.

INTERIOR: the upper pillbox has a brick platform to stand on beneath the raised upper level. The stone slabs above the embrasures form lintels to the openings and the stone slabs below form shelves in front of the embrasures.

The lower pillbox has similar stone lintels and shelves to the embrasures. There is a brick anti-ricochet wall in front of the passageway entrance.

MAPPING NOTE: the approximate location of the linked pillboxes is mapped by a circle as their buried positions means that more accurate mapping is not possible.