The Taunton Stop Line

The Taunton Stop Line was built in 1940, when the UK government believed an invasion of Britain by Nazi Germany was imminent. The evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk at the end of June 1940, increased the sense of urgency. The Taunton Stop Line was part of a network of defensive lines built across various parts of Britain.  The purpose of a stop line was to slow down, a German advance, if they had invaded Britain.

General Edmund Ironside was appointed as Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces at the end of May 1940.  On 25th June he announced plans for Home Defence to the War Cabinet.  He proposed:

1. The construction of coastal defences to fight off small raids and delay any landings.
2. Road blocks at strategic locations to be manned by the Home Guard
3. The construction of static fortified stop lines, which divided coastal areas into sectors and sealed off London and the Midlands from the coast
4. A central reserve of troops, who would be ready to deal with any major breakthroughs
5. Local mobile groups, which could deal with parachute landings and local attacks.

The Taunton Stop Line ran for approximately 50 miles from the Bristol Channel/mouth of the River Brue at Highbridge to the English Channel at Axmouth Harbour in Devon.  Its route was via Pawlett Hams, Dunball, Bridgwater, North Newton, Creech St Michael, Wrantage, Ilton, Ilminster, Donyatt, Knowle St Giles, Chard, Forton, Perry Street, Chard Junction and Axminster.  

Where possible the Taunton Stop Line utilised natural barriers.  It followed the River Parrett to Bridgwater, then the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal to Creech St Michael and then the line of the disused Chard Canal to Ilton.  It then followed the Great Western Railway to Chard Junction and then the River Axe and/or the Southern Railway to Axmouth Harbour.

Highbridge was also the start of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Green line, which ran east to Bradford-on-Avon and then north to Framilode on the River Severn south of Gloucester.

The construction of the Taunton Stop Line began in July 1940 and was largely completed by September of the same year.   About 400 defensive structures, including pillboxes, road and rail blocks, anti-tank gun emplacements and anti-tank obstacles were constructed at strategic points along the stop line to strengthen it.  The anti-tank obstacles were usually made of concrete and came in various shapes and sizes, including dragons' teeth (flat-topped pyramids), posts, cubes and coffins. 

Gun emplacements were built at strategic locations, landmines were laid, trenches were dug and barbed wire entanglements were put in place.  Many of the bridges along the route had charge chambers cut into their walls, so that they could be blown up in the event of an invasion.  The pillboxes were disguised and/or camouflaged using paint and netting or locally available materials such as soil, beach pebbles and hedgerows.

In 1941 twelve defensive "islands" were created to strengthen the stop line at Bridgwater, Durston (to cover the railway junction at Cogload), Creech St Michael, Wrantage/Crimson Hill, Ilton (RAF Isle Abbotts/Merryfield). Ilminster, Chard, Forton, Perry Street, Whitford, Axminster and Colyford.  These anti-tank islands were intended to be used as bases from which to launch counter attacks, if the stop line was breached.

The Taunton Stop Line was initially manned by the army, assisted by the Home Guard, but as the threat of an invasion receded, the Home Guard took over responsibility for it.

The majority of the structures built for the Taunton Stop Line are still intact and in situ today.

Pillbox on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal near Outwood House

Pillbox on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal

Pillbox on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal near Outwood House

This pillbox has had its front wall removed

Pillbox and dragons' teeth on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal

Pillbox at the junction of the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal and the Chard Canal in Creech St Michael 

It was probably originally disguised as a farm building or canal-side cottage.  In 2015 it was repurposed as a bat roost. This is a Type 26 pillbox.

Pillbox on Park Drive, Ilminster

Pillbox, somewhere near  Dillington House, Ilminster

Donyatt Halt

One of a pair of concrete blocks, into which sections of railway track would have been slotted to form a vehicle barrier.  There are some anti-tank blocks in the background. 

6-pounder anti-tank gun emplacement on the now disused railway line near Knowle St Giles

6-pounder anti-tank gun emplacement near Knowle St Giles

Anti-tank wall, Victoria Avenue, Chard

Artillery Battery on Axmouth Beach

This would probably have been equipped with a 6-pounder Hotchkiss gun

Further Reading: The West Country's Last Line of Defence: Taunton Stop Line by Andrew Powell-Thomas, Amberley Publishing, 2017

Church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke

The church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke has an eclectic collection of features from different historical periods.  It serves the village of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, but is located a mile east of the village in the hamlet of East Stoke.  The church was built using local Ham stone in the 12th century and enlarged in the 13th and 14th centuries.  It was restored by Benjamin Ferrey in 1862.

The carved tympanum above the porch door on the north side of the church has three birds (possibly doves) around the Tree of Life, the Lamb of God and the astrological figures of Sagittarius and Leo.  The tympanum was walled up when the porch was added.  It was rediscovered in 1856. The main doors were probably replaced in the mid 19th century and are reputed to have come from Ilchester Gaol when it closed.

The octagonal panelled pulpit and the altar are Jacobean.  There is an hourglass timer near the pulpit. The altar rails date from the reign of Charles I.

The 12th century circular tub font is decorated with raised cable and diamond designs. It was originally located in the centre of the nave, but it was moved in 1916 to its current location.

The wall paintings on the wall above the chancel arch date from the 14th or 15th centuries.  The ones on the nave walls are 17th century.

A 12th century window has a carving of St George or St Michael the Archangel slaying a dragon above it. 

Two possible sheela-na-gigs are located on the Norman corbel table on the north wall of the chancel.

There are 4 scratch dials on the south wall.

St Mary's Church

Porch with tympanum above

Tympanum

Nave and Norman chancel arch

Scratch dial

Scratch dial

Norman window

St George and the Dragon carving

Pulpit

Hour glass timer near the pulpit

Norman Font

Wall paintings in the nave

Angel 

Squint or hagioscope in the north transept

Carved corbel

Two possible sheela-na-gigs

These are located on a corbel table on the north wall of the chancel.

Mounting Blocks

Mounting blocks are used to assist people in mounting and dismounting from horses or carts.  They were very common in Britain until the late 18th century, when the roads were improved enough to allow carriages to be used on them.  Carriages had their own steps and so the need for mounting blocks decreased.  Mounting blocks were especially useful for women, who were riding side saddle or pillion, as they allowed them to mount and dismount without any loss of modesty.  Use of a mounting block puts less strain on the stirrup leather and reduces the chance of the saddle slipping to one side.  It also reduces the strain on the spines of horses.

Most mounting blocks were made from stone or wood and usually had 2, 3 or 4 steps leading to a platform.  Mounting blocks were often located outside churches, public houses, inns, country houses, farms and along the main streets of market towns.

Outside St Gregory's Church, Weare

Old Church Road, Clevedon

B3227, Norton Fitzwarren

This mounting block came from Morse Farm.  It was rescued from the old cider site by John Rendall, who was a former chairman and parish councillor 1993-2015.

Quaker Meeting House in Long Sutton with mounting block in front

Torre House, Torre near Washford

Gatchells Lane, Bicknoller

Former stables at Dunster Castle

Double-ended mounting block

Church Street, Wedmore

Outside Bishop's Farm, Shurton

Former stables, All Saints' Church, Kingston Seymour

Roger Bacon: Franciscan monk, philosopher, scientist and scholar

Roger Bacon was a medieval philosopher and scientist.  He was a great proponent of the importance of experimental science.  He was the first European to write a detailed description of the process of making gunpowder.  He also speculated about flying machines and motorised ships and carriages. 

Roger Bacon was born c1214-1220, probably in Ilchester. His family was wealthy and he was educated in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and music.  He then studied, and probably also taught, arts at Oxford University.  He travelled to Paris sometime between 1236 and 1245.  He was a pioneer in teaching Aristotle's natural philosophy at the University of Paris.  He may have returned to Oxford c1247, where he met and was influenced by the philosopher and theologian Robert Grosseteste (who was the Bishop of Lincoln), the Welsh Franciscan Thomas Wallensis and the Franciscan scholar and theologian Adam Marsh (also known as Adam de Marisco).  Bacon may have returned to Paris in 1251.

In around 1257 Roger Bacon became a Franciscan monk, probably in England.  Soon after this he returned to Paris, where he stayed for about 10 years. Roger Bacon was an innovative thinker, who wasn't afraid to challenge current beliefs about science, philosophy and religion. He met Cardinal Guy Foulquois in Paris, who showed an interest in Bacon's ideas.  Foulquois became Pope Clement IV in 1264 and then demanded to see Bacon's written work. 

In 1266 Roger Bacon completed his Opus maius, which was divided into seven parts: the causes of human ignorance, the relation of the sciences to theology, grammar and the power of languages,  mathematics (including astronomy and astrology), optics, experimental science and moral philosophy.  The most famous passage in this work includes the sentence "without experiment, nothing can be sufficiently known". He sent his Opus maius to Pope Clement IV in Rome.  Bacon then worked on his Opus minus, which summarised and supplemented the Opus maius. This work was also dispatched to the Pope.  He then began writing his Opus tertium, which was his longest work. This was probably never sent to the Pope, who died in 1268.  There is no written record of Pope Clement IV's reaction to Bacon's ideas.

Roger Bacon probably returned to Oxford in around 1270.  He was annoyed by the increasing corruption of knowledge and was outspoken in his contempt for many of his contemporary intellectuals, including prominent Dominicans and Franciscans.  In about 1278 Girolamo da Ascoli, who was Master-General of the Franciscans, condemned Bacon's teachings and had him imprisoned. He was probably released in 1290 and he died c1292 in Oxford.

There is a brass memorial plaque to Roger Bacon in the Church of St Mary Major in Ilchester.  It says:

To the Immortal Memory of

Roger Bacon

A Franciscan Monk and also a free enquirer after

true knowledge.  His wonderful powers as

mathematician, mechanic, optician, astronomer, chemist,

linguist, moralist, physicist and physician gained 

him the title of "Doctor Miribilis"

He first made known the composition of

gunpowder, and his researches laid the

foundations of modern science.  He prophesied the 

making of machines to propel vessels through the water

without sails or oars; of chariots to

travel on land without horses or other draught 

animals; of flying machines to traverse the air.

He was imprisoned, starved and persecuted by

the suspicious ignorance of his contemporaries

but a fuller knowledge now acclaims and 

honours him as one of the greatest of mankind.

Born at Ilchester in 1214

Died at Oxford 1294

This tablet is erected to commemorate the Seventh Centenary

by a few admirers of his genius

AD 1914

Roger Bacon's memorial plaque in Church of St Mary Major, Ilchester 

Fabulous Fish

These are the artistic representations of fish that I have found on my travels around Somerset.

Kneeler in Exford Church

Fish bike racks at RSPB Ham Wall

Kneeler at St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

The apostle St Andrew and his brother, Simon Peter, were both fishermen.  

Altar front, St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

Stained glass window, St Andrew's Church, Old Cleeve

River Tone, Taunton

Stained glass window in Winsford Church

Chiselborough Bus Stop

St Andrew's Church, Mells

This window is in memory of Sir John Francis Fortescue Horner (1842-1927).  He was a barrister and he lived in Mells Manor.  The window was designed by Sir William Nicholson and depicts St Francis of Assisi preaching to the fish and birds.

Church of St Mary and St Andrew, Pitminster

"I will make you fishers of men" Matthew Ch.4 v.19

Seals & goldfish by Curtis Hylton, Oxford Corner, Weston-super-Mare

This was painted for Weston Wallz Project 2022.  I think the seals look more like sea lions.

Fish and a sheep on a bench end, Church of All Saints, Monksilver

Fisherman Metal Head, Minehead Harbour

Altar rail, St Peter's on the Quay, Minehead

Hedgehog and fish on the west doors of St Mary's Church, Norton-sub-Hamdon

Seats painted with fish, an octopus, a turtle, a jellyfish and a shark

High Street, Taunton

These concrete seats were painted by GoCreate and Rights Community Action in 2023 to raise awareness of climate change.

Seats painted with lots of fish, a jellyfish, a hermit crab, two sea anenomes and a starfish, High Street, Taunton

Bench end, Church of St James the Less, Halse

3 fish in the centre, 2 eels at the bottom and 2 newts at the top.

Bench end, Church of St James the Less, Halse