Nightingale Corner is the junction of High Road, Layer Road and The Folly, NE of Layer-de-la-Haye town centre. Here, High Road is lined with tall trees, Layer Road descends steeply downhill with King's Ford Bridge at the bottom, and the country lane known as The Folly turns southwards towards Malting Green.

Beneath the trees on the S side of High Road, 30 yards from the road junction is the 3'3" diameter pedestal of a 29mm spigot mortar emplacement. Typically, just a few inches of the domed top can be seen above ground level, with the stainless steel pintle in the centre. It is probable that the concrete pit, possibly with ammunition alcoves, still lies extant beneath the earth around the pedestal.

The 29mm spigot mortar was a Home Guard weapon introduced to fill the gap in their anti-tank capability in late 1941 / early 1942. Although it could be deployed on four horizontal legs it was more usually mounted on just such a pedestal as this with its crew in a surrounding purpose-designed pit. In this location, it was undoubtedly sited to cover the approach up the steep hill to its NE, an ideal position from which to block any passage by enemy armour.

Three photos of site.<1>

SITE ASSESSMENT
All spigot mortar emplacements are important in WWII history and heritage. They were built by local contractors, to be manned by the local Home Guard to defend the local community. As such every effort should be made to ensure the continued survival of all that remain.

See also <2> & <3>.