Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Royal Ordnance Factory Bridgend Dual-storey Pillbox
Coychurch Lower, Bridgend, Wales
A scheduled monument in Coychurch Lower, Bridgend, recorded as Pillbox (Post Medieval/Modern).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Pillbox
- Period
- Post Medieval/Modern
- Date of designation
- 6 November 2008
- Community
- Coychurch Lower
- Unitary authority
- Bridgend
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.50278, -3.56653
- SAM number
- GM605
- Cadw record number
- 1272
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1897 · 262 Pontypridd (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1897 · 262 Pontypridd (Outline) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- Sheet 7 South Wales (University Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument comprises of a double-storey pillbox, which dates from the Second World War (1939-45 AD). It is located at the north-west corner of the Waterton site of the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Bridgend. It was built into the south embankment of the Great Western Railway South Wales main line, where it defended the junction with the Vale of Glamorgan line. The clay brick and reinforced concrete pillbox is of an unusual double-storey design and was provided with an extended foundation that formed an additional basement level. It is hexagonal in shape on plan and measures 4.7m in height externally, 4.6m in length (north-north-west by south-south-east) and 4m in width. Each wall measures 0.48m in thickness. The pillbox possesses ten embrasures. The entrances to each floor are located above one another on the south-east elevation.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the efforts undertaken during the Second World War to secure efficient supplies of munitions, an industry of key importance to the national war effort. This well-preserved and rare structure may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning building techniques, layout and functional detail.
The area scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- West Skeal OverbridgeNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- Hermon ChapelReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Heronsbridge SchoolEducationunder 1 mi
- Bridgend Railway Station Pedestrian BridgeTransportunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.