Hidden amongst the undergrowth, just a mile northwest of the village of Prickwillow, lies this derelict World War II pillbox. 28,000 of these were built across the British countryside in 1940-41, when Germany was making plans to invade the United Kingdom. Today, fewer than 6,000 remain, silent relics of a battle that was fortunately never fought.

On an overcast windy day such as today, the area around this pillbox has a rather eerie atmosphere. With the looming banks of the river in the distance, and the rustling of the tall, old trees and grasses all around, you can close your eyes and imagine that you are hearing the whispering of hundreds of people, telling stories of yesteryear.

Those of you who are geocachers, this has surely got to be an excellent location for a cache (the exact position is indicated in the map); otherwise you will find that you pass this pillbox if you try my Branch Bank byway route from Ely.

Incidentally, take a look at the weird shape of the field in which the pillbox lies (click on “satellite” at the top of the map, and then click on the “+” icon on the image). The eastern edge of the field winds around in a meander, almost like a river … which is precisely what it was: up until 1830, the Great Ouse flowed along what is now the main road through Prickwillow, before veering off to the north alongside the field in which the pillbox lies. Prickwillow village is built on the riverbed of the original course of the Ouse.