Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1700 to 1799.

Summary from record TR 15 NE 772:

From 1940 there was a road block at Fordwich Bridge, on the River Great Stour. A hole was cut in the south abutment for an explosive charge to demolish the bridge if necessary.

Summary from record MWX43034:

Rows of square markings are visible on the road at Fordwich bridge on 1940s aerial photgraphy, interpreted as a markings for laying out a roadblock.

Monument Types

• SITE (Post Medieval - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
• ROADBLOCK (Modern - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• ROADBLOCK (Modern - 1940 AD to 1945 AD?)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5273 FORDWICH FORDWICH ROAD
Bridge over the Great Stour TR 17759 26/234
II
2. C18 brick bridge with stone coping. Keystone to round arch over river. Stone tablet on brackets, with cornice, on east side.
Listing NGR: TR1796159806

Description from record TR 15 NE 772:
By the end of 1940 (but probably as early as May of that year) a road block had been established at Fordwich Bridge, on the River Great Stour. It was roadblock No.55 in a list of such localities made 2 December 1940 (Military Grid Reference R 620780). In early May 1941 the obstacle was described as a ‘trough cut across [the] road’, and a hole was cut in the south abutment for an explosive charge to demolish the bridge if necessary. There may have been flanking concrete obstacles. The roadblock was probably covered by fire from the adjacent George and Dragon public house, which had almost certainly been fortified, and possibly from another fortified house adjoining King Street. The roadblock remained current at least until late November 1941.
Owner : Public
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : unknown
Date of visit :

Description from record MWX43034:
Rows of square markings are visible on the road approaching Fordwich bridge on 1940s aerial photography [1]. The markings appear to be painted onto the road on the southern approach to the bridge and consist of 5 rows of squares laid out in a trapezoidal shape. They are no longer visible on 1965 OS aerial photographs of the area [2]. They have been interpreted as possibly representing markings or a template for laying out a roadblock. A contemporary roadblock is known to have existed on this bridge but records of it make no mention of such features.

Similar markings are visible on early 1940s aerial photographs on the roads around White Mill Bridge, Sturry (MWX43044, MWX43045).

A transcription of the features recorded from aerial photography exists within a GIS layer held by this HER [3].

English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/40, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE15391.

43 Division General Staff, 01/01/41, War Diary 43 Division General Staff (Unpublished document). SKE15390.

49 Battalion Royal Tanks Regiment, 01/01/41, War Diary 49 Battalion Royal Tanks Regiment 1941 (Unpublished document). SKE15388.

Corps Royal Engineers 43 Division, 01/01/41, War Diary Corps Royal Engineers 43 Division 1941 (Unpublished document). SKE15389.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2009-10, South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - Aerial Photographic Transcriptions (Digital archive). SWX15705.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey - (SE RCZAS) Phase 1: National Mapping Programme Report (Unpublished document). SKE25955.

<3> Cornwall Council Historic Environment Projects and Gloucestershire County Council, 2011, South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Components 1&2: Results of NMP Mapping (Unpublished document). SKE25954.

Sources and further reading

Related records