FORT 34

The Oxford Canal Stop Line, also known as the Southern Command Oxford and Grand Union Canals Stop Line, was an anti-tank stop line planned during 1940 to protect the industrial Midlands from potential German invasion advances (fig 1). The Oxford Canal Stop Line was never fully developed and the construction of the line was generally abandoned during late 1940, when many stop lines were declared obsolete. The defence strategy was switched to a more aggressive and mobile form of counter attack and the creation of defended areas at the main centres of communication to block the progress of the potential invader.

The route of the Oxford Canal Stop Line was from the River Thames south of Abingdon, following the Thames north to Oxford and then the Oxford Canal via Banbury to Napton on the Hill and thence west along the Grand Union Canal to the River Avon between Leamington Spa and Warwick. The Grand Union Canal crosses the River Avon via a masonry aqueduct. The River Avon was a section of another stop line known as the Western Command Avon Stop Line.

The south end of the Oxford Canal Stop Line linked with the GHQ Red Line stop line that generally followed the course of the River Thames and was intended to block the main communication routes heading north over the River Thames between the Cotswolds and the Chilterns.

The Oxford Canal Stop Line within Oxfordshire was within the Southern Command area and the Warwickshire section within the Western Command area. The stop line would initially have been defended by the Home Guard and the main defence forces would have been at bridge crossings.

The following are examples of pillboxes and anti-tank blocks along the Oxford Canal Stop Line:

The pillbox is located on the south side of the Oxford Canal. The pillbox is reinforced concrete construction throughout with 380mm thick walls and 280mm thick roof. There is one embrasure in each of the four walls. Condition is good.

Half a mile to the west (NGR: SP 478153) is a type 24 pillbox that formed part of the defences for former RAF Kidlington.

The pillbox is located on the south side of the Oxford Canal, adjacent to a railway bridge. The pillbox is reinforced concrete construction with embrasures in each of the walls. Condition is good.

Pillbox recorded as located to the west of the Oxford Canal adjacent to the River Cherwell by the road between Lower Heyford and Steeple Aston. Pillbox demolished.

Two pillboxes located on opposite sides of the road on the west approach to the Somerton Bridge crossing the Oxford Canal Bridge 196. The pillboxes are reinforced concrete construction. Condition is good.

Located on the west bank of the Oxford Canal, WNW of Stoneton Moat Farm, near Wormleighton. Stent pillboxes were manufactured by Stent Precast Concrete Limited and consisted of precast concrete inner and outer panels secured between concrete vertical posts to form shuttering for concrete infill. Roof construction consisted of precast panels with a covering of site poured concrete. Four precast concrete embrasures slotted into the vertical posts.

The pillbox condition is fair but is considerably overgrown with ivy and surrounded by bushes.

Located on the east bank of the Oxford Canal near Priors Hardwick. Standard Stent prefabricated concrete construction. As a point of interest, it appears the builder has installed some of the main vertical prefabricated panels back to front!

The pillbox condition is fair but there is ground subsidence, a hole in the roof and some of the concrete shuttering panels are detached.

Located on the east bank of the Oxford Canal, near Bridge 116, Holt Farm, near Napton on the Hill. Standard Stent prefabricated concrete construction. The pillbox condition is fair.

Located on the east bank of the Oxford Canal providing protection to canal locks. Standard Stent prefabricated concrete construction. The door and embrasures have been sealed with blockwork and brickwork. The external condition is fair.

Two demolished pillboxes recorded near Stockton (NGR: SP 433648) and near Bascote (NGR: 381639).

Located by Radford Bottom Lock, near Grand Union Canal Road Bridge 34. This pillbox protected the Grand Union Canal locks and the former London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) viaduct crossing the canal. The pillbox is positioned on the dismantled railway embankment to the west of the viaduct. The entrance door faces the dismantled railway line and the main embrasures face the canal locks and viaduct.

The pillbox is standard type 24 irregular hexagon design. The entrance door face has two rifle embrasures and the other five wall faces each have one embrasure. The wall construction is brickwork shuttering with concrete infill with an overall wall thickness of 450mm. The roof is reinforced concrete construction. Internally is a 225mm thick brickwork Y-shaped blast/anti-ricochet wall. Antiricochet timber exists on parts of the ceiling and walls. The entrance has a low level drop down steel bar grille with internal latch. Overall condition is good.

Demolished during the 1950s, was located by the Grand Union Canal west of Bridge 34.

Six concrete cylinders located by gateway to disused garage site by Wormleighton Road, near the junction with the A423 (T) road. The cylinders may originally have been located at the nearby Oxford Canal Bridges.

Two octagonal concrete blocks located on either side of the west approach ramp to Oxford Canal Bridge 116 near Napton on the Hill.

Two octagonal concrete blocks located adjacent to the west approach ramp to Oxford Canal Bridge 114 near Napton on the Hill. Several timber battens attached to the blocks.