The garage on the NE corner of the crossroads at Layer-de-la-Haye is a single storey, brick and timber building with a tiled roof. It is clear from existing photographs and local memory that a concrete pillbox or defence post was attached to the NW end of the garage for many years, probably from the First World War until the 1960s.<1><2><3><4>

The earliest photograph, dating from c.1924 shows a square, concrete “annex” to the garage possibly 10’ square. In the side facing the crossroads, the W face, a concreted-up loophole can be seen. This has been painted around with the black shape of a window as an attempt at camouflage. A tiled roof with wooden gable has been added to blend in with the style of the garage.

The second photograph, dated c.1952 shows the garage changed in a number of respects but the pillbox is still there. With a clearer view, it can be seen that there were at least three loopholes in the W face, all concreted up. There is now no sign of the painted window. The tiled and boarded roof is still there.

Lastly, in 1964 the walls of the pillbox are still there but the roof has gone and the concrete walls now form an open enclosure, c 6’ high, in which a shed now stands with its roof visible.

From the photographs it is not clear whether the pillbox ever had a concrete, flat roof beneath its tiled and boarded camouflage or whether it was always an open enclosure. Clearly, the entrance was from within the garage.

Nothing of it now remains. Two photos of site.<5>

See also <6> & <7>.