Coquet Stop Line

[1][2][3] The Coquet Stop Line was made up of a string of pillboxes, with a consistent shape that has been referred to as the "Coquet line type" or more accurately "Lozenge" type, and is only found in the North East and parts of Yorkshire.

They tend to have open ground in front, often the river or its floodplain, while to the rear, where the entrance is, efforts were made to provide cover for a retreating force.

One sandbag "beehive" type pillbox is in a garden just behind the Cross Keys public house in Thropton.

There is another pillbox near Morwick on the west side of the east coast main line.

The pillboxes at Brainshaugh and West Thirston may not be part of the Coquet Stop Line, as their identification numbers are out of sequence with the others.

It is a standard "lozenge" except for an alteration to the porch and door, which were built on the left hand side as opposed to the rear.

Pillbox P305 Catheugh Plantation from the south side, obscured by trees planted since the war
Pillbox P306 Weldon Bridge from the former A697, looking south-east
Pillbox P319 Bickerton from a minor road, looking east
Pillbox P320 Bickerton from across the River Coquet, looking south
Well-preserved interior of Pillbox on the Coquet Stop Line – note graffito over the doorway, daubed in the same whitewash as the P-ID numbers: 'Heil Hitler'