Monument record 4058/0/6 - Pillbox at Poynton

This is a destroyed pillbox at Poynton, near RAF Woodford Airfield. Pillboxes were heavily constructed buildings with thick concrete walls and roofs, other examples near the airfield are squat square structures built from masonry blocks and concrete. They also had low long embrasures. They were built as defensive structures and usually had one embrasure for every side except the one with the entrance. The embrasures are small rectangular openings in walls that allowed soldiers defended in the pillbox to shoot out at, or observe the enemy. It probably housed soldiers with light weaponry such as rifles. It was probably part of the defences for RAF Woodford and was part of the Western Command Stop Line No 6, which is a line across the country controlled by Western Command in Chester. In the event of an invasion a Stop Line would hold up enemy forces, and allow the armed forces to move around behind the line, and concentrate forces on the enemy. It was built during World War Two, a time when most other pillboxes around Britain were constructed.