MMO1370 - World War Two barbed wire obstruction along Porlock and Bossington Beaches (Monument)

A Second World War linear barbed wire obstruction at SS 8869 4814, visible as a structure, was mapped from aerial photographs taken in 1941. Located roughly westsouthwest to eastnortheast along Porlock Beach and Bossington Beach, the barbed wire obstruction, about 3370 metres of barbed wire rolls supported by posts, extends from the hardened field defence infantry section post (SS 8699 4764) about 280 metres below (northnortheast of) Porlock Vale House, along the beach behind the shingle ridge and parallel to the sea, connecting with each beach hardened field defence site or pillbox, until it terminates at the cliff below Hurlstone Point at the northeast end of Bossington Beach (SS 8991 4915). Access to the beach is provided by nine gaps in the wire (SS 8708 4765, SS 8719 4769, SS 8735 4779, SS 8758 4794, SS 8788 4799, SS8815 4799, SS 8841 4803, SS 8917 4840, SS 8933 4851), in each case immediately adjacent to one of the manned beach defence sites, presumably to control access. The structure was no longer visible in 1946. [1-7] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [8]