The Mill at Elstead on the River Wey, GHQ Line B, Surrey.
Beside the River Wey at the Mill in Elstead is an excellent preserved FW3/22 pillbox, it can be found close to the main entrance and beer garden of the picturesque restaurant and public house.
The pillbox with its roof covering and L blast wall
Although the brick shuttered box is topped with a large growth of ivy the wartime defence is still in excellent condition and is accessible for visitors to the pub!.
Internally the pillbox is extremely clean, original and un vandalised, it also still features some of its small rectangular concrete loophole tables.
A concrete lintel tops the loopholes on five of the walls, the entrance side has two smaller loops one of which is unusually positioned where two walls join.
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- Loophole showing concrete table
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- Close up of splayed loophole
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- Loophole detail
The low crouch down entrance is protected by a half height “L shaped” blast wall. Originally this bullet proof pillbox was disguised as an out building and had a pitched roof, amongst the ivy some of the original timber frame work is still in place along with its central vertical support.
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- L shaped half height blast wall
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- Side view
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- Loophole lintel and detail
Another type 22 featured the same roof arrangement, its remains can be seen on this defence which is at the entrance to Beryl Browns kennels on the Shackleford Road near Elstead.