MUSHROOM PILLBOX

by

Mike Osborne

Adapted from an article in Loopholes NO 20 `The Magic Mushroom`

Main Colour Photographs of the Mushroom Pillbox

Other photos by Graham G Matthews & Steve Carvell

The F.C. Construction Type are also variously termed "Mushroom" due to its shape or "Oakington" & "Fairlop" Pillboxes, probably because examples are present on both these airfields.The type seems to be confined to airfields apparently being found predominantly in the eastern counties of Britain.

When Henry Wills wrote "PILLBOXES" in the early 1980`s the F.C. Construction Company was still in existence and kindly provided him with drawings. The design was intended to provide all-round visibilty and field of fire, with a `parasol` roof supported on a cruciform wall which stands in a sunken circular pit. The brick sides of the pit rise to meet the overhang of the roof leaving an uninterrupted 360-degree `embrasure`.

The silhouette is low and easily broken. In some examples the top of the roof is domed, in others it is flat. This is probably more to do with the pouring technique of the contractor than any military consideration.

On the dozen or so English airfields where F.C. Construction Pillboxes were provided they are all very similar. However, north of the border at Peterhead in Grampian, the design is quite different. Here the pillboxes which ring the airfield have the domed roof but the all-round `embrasure` has been bricked up to leave only two deep stepped loopholes for machine-guns on Turnbull mounts. The entrance is similar to that of a Stanton Shelter.

It could be that the Peterhead example came after the AIR MINISTRY directive to thicken walls and limit loopholes.

Why do some Airfields have `Mushrooms` but not others?

Both US and British Airfields have them!

Both Expansion Period and Wartime Utility Fields have them!

Airfields both with and without BATTLE HQ`s have them!

Both Fighter & Bomber Stations have them!

They are also mixed with other types. For example Oakington has six F.C. Construction Pillboxes and six other types. At North Weald there are 2/8 respectively!

This is probably a mystery that will never be solved.

MUSHROOM PILLBOXES PHOTOS by STEVE CARVELL

 

Two photos attached of the mushroom pillboxes at former RAF Long Marston, both dating from June 2003.

The three mushroom pillboxes are each in a similar good condition.

Also attached are photos of mushroom pillboxes at former RAF Grafton Underwood and RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges, all in Northamptonshire. (August 2004).

The RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges site is an excellent example of an RAF defended site with a Type 11008/41 BHQ, two mushroom pillboxes and three seagull trenches all in very close proximity.

MUSHROOM WEAPON MOUNTS

All F.C. Construction Pillboxes with the standard 360-degree embrasure have a tabular rail running round the inside of the pillbox just below the embrasure. This is a support for a gun mount. The weapon is fixed onto the mount and then moved around the pillbox as required. At the pillbox entrance there is obviously a short break in the rail to allow access.

Weapon mount at Oakington photographed by Eric Burke.

Note the `Pickaxe head`at the bottom which was probably to keep the mount vertical.

WHERE CAN I FIND A MUSHROOM?

These locations were reported in 1997.

Since then some may have been destroyed and new examples may have come to light. If you have any new information please send it in so that the location list can be brought up to date.

COUNTY
LOCATION
NGR
BEDFORDSHIRE
TEMPSFORD
UNKNOWN
BEDFORDSHIRE
TWINWOOD FARM
UNKNOWN
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
OAKINGTON
TL 415-668
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
OAKINGTON
TL 402-667
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
OAKINGTON
TL 416-661
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
OAKINGTON
TL 416-660
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
OAKINGTON
TL 417-655
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
WARBOYS

TL 300-796

PLUS ANOTHER IN-SITU BUT IN RUINS
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2858-3031

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2878-3011

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2907-3006

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2920-3006

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2936-3008

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2951-3027

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2960-3058

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
DERBYSHIRE
BURNASTON

SK 2958-3078

POSSIBLY DESTROYED
ESSEX
FAIRLOP

TQ 450-910

BUILT INTO LONDON UNDERGOUND EMBANKMENT
ESSEX
NORTH WEALD
TL 487-037
ESSEX
NORTH WEALD
TL495-045
ESSEX
ROCHFORD
TQ 876-895
ESSEX
ROCHFORD
TQ 865-895
ESSEX
ROCHFORD
TQ 865-897
GRAMPIAN
PETERHEAD
NK 079-476
GRAMPIAN
PETERHEAD
NK 074-477
GRAMPIAN
PETERHEAD
NK 073-476
GRAMPIAN
PETERHEAD
NK 073-474
HERTFORDSHIRE
HUNSDON

TL 428-143

ROOF ONLY IN SITU
LANCASHIRE
CARK
SD 371-743
LANCASHIRE
CARK
SD 379-743 (APPROX)
NORFOLK
HONINGTON
TL 899-762
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
CROUGHTON
SP 573-332
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
GRAFTON UNDERWOOD
SP 929-821
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
HHINTON-IN-THE-HEDGES
SP 550-372
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
GRAFTON UNDERWOOD
SP 923-807 (IN RUINS)
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
KINGSCLIFFE
TL 020-978
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
KINGSCLIFFE
TL 021-977
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
KINGSCLIFFE
TL 025-972
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
KINGSCLIFFE
TL 026-972
SHROPSHIRE
ATCHAM
SJ 5738-0984
 
LONG MARSDEN
SP 176-494
 
LONG MARSDEN
SP 175-493

RAF LONG MARSDEN

Photos by Steve Carvell

NGR: SP 176-494 & SP 175-493

Mushroom pillboxes at former RAF Long Marston, both dating from June 2003.

All mushroom pillboxes are in a similar good condition.

PHOTOS ADDED 16/03/08

RAF GRAFTON UNDERWOOD

Photos by Steve Carvell

NGR: SP 929-821 7 SP 923-807

Photos of mushroom pillboxes at former RAF Grafton Underwood (August 2004).

PHOTOS ADDED 16/03/08

RAF HINTON-IN-THE-HEDGES

Photos by Steve Carvell

NGR: SP 550-372

The RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges site is an excellent example of an RAF defended site with a Type 11008/41 BHQ, two Mushroom Pillboxes and three seagull trenches all in very close proximity.

PHOTOS ADDED 16/03/08

RAF ATCHAM

Photos by Graham G Matthews

 

These photographs were taken of the only Mushroom Pillbox at Atcham Airfield, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

It is located on the eastern side of airfield on slightly rising ground.

It`s commanding field of fire across the surrounding area where the runways were located would have provided some devastating .50 calibre fire to any invader.

The local farmer has ben contacted and hopefully PSG Members will be carrying out some undergrowth clearing and light restoration work in the spring of 2002.

RAF BURNASTON

Photos by Richard Collins

Photos added 27th September 2009

Dear Curator

I stumbled across your web-site after a chance conversation brought back memories of a pillbox I remembered back in the 1950s or 60s that was removed as part of the development phase of a housing estate. A search on the internet for "pillbox" brought up the link and I have very much enjoyed browsing the pages of this excellent site.

Your site contains a list of mushroom type pillboxes around what was Burnaston Airfield in Derbyshire - now the Toyota car factory. All of the boxes are listed as "possibly destroyed". I do remember one of these being destroyed in 1995 - possibly SK 2936 3008 (see attached cutting from local newspaper). This pillbox was within the general area used for the construction of the A38 / A50 traffic island. However, I can report that at least one mushroom pillbox still survives in the area - possibly SK 2858 3031. It is in arable land on the south side of the A50 just after the junction with the A38. If I get an opportunity I will obtain an accurate map reference and take photographs.

Regards . . . Phil Brown


Copyright Graham G Matthews@PSG2002