The line of the anti-tank barrier which encircled Colchester during World War Two almost certainly followed Lexden Dyke using the ancient ramparts as a ready-made obstacle to enemy tanks. In Lexden Park there is a weakness in the line where a gully running parallel to the dyke climbs upwards from the lower park level to the height of the dyke at the N end of Bluebottle Grove. To seal this, the local defence planners clearly erected a concrete cube barrier at the narrowest part of the gully. It is not known how many there were originally but at least eight of them still remain, scattered over a 25 yard area of the cutting. These are of varying sizes averaging 2' 6" to 3' square. All are badly deteriorated. Many have the remains of steel posts embedded in them. These would either have acted as anchorage posts for barbed wire or for a heavy linking chain to prevent them being pushed aside separately.

Four photos of site.<1>

See also <2> & <3>.