Mautby Patrol

The OB is located near the edge of small private woodland, roughly in the middle between the parish churches of Filby and Mautby. The woodland is surrounded by fields on all sides. A public footpath leads past the woodland a short distance to the north. The collapsed remains are located in a deep depression in the ground that at the time of our visit (June 2011) was heavily overgrown with nettles.

The OB consisted of curved corrugated iron sheets that appear to have been set directly onto the ground, built into a small area of ground adjoining two disused marl pits. Corrugated iron sheeting was used to construct the end walls.

The corrugated sheets have corroded from the bottom upwards, resulting in the curved roof section having fallen down, with the north-facing end almost resting on the ground, leaving only a small gap to crawl under. There is a break in the adjoining section, which is resting higher off the ground, creating a gap and a somewhat larger space underneath. All sections of roof are still covered with soil.

The south-facing end is adjoined by a passage constructed from curved corrugated sheets. A piece of corrugated sheet immediately adjoining the passage ‘wall’ in the west appears to have been part of another small chamber that has long since collapsed. Sections of corrugated iron that still adhere to the earthen wall, as well as broken pieces of corrugated iron that litter the ground indicate that this passage originally used to be about twice as long as it is now.

The edge of a corrugated sheet covered with soil can be seen above. Its location and the way it has been placed indicate that it extended horizontally across and was used for covering and concealing the passage underneath it. The remains of two weathered wooden posts, about 1 metre apart and 0.50 metres high, stand by the south-facing end wall.

The OB measures;

Length of depression from rim to rim: 7.50m
Chamber interior: 3.90m (L) x 2.95m (W) x 1.45m (highest point)
Passage interior: 1.80m (L) x 1.20m (W) x 1.50m (highest point)
Passage exterior: 3.35m (L) x 1.20m (W). Approximately half of the passageway is still in situ, rest is collapsed

It is orientated, North - South

We failed to find the exit opening which we believe is situated somewhere on the slope of the adjoining disused marl pit. We cannot agree on which end would have been the entrance and which the exit.Other physical remains are 3 weathered wooden posts still in the ground by south end; broken pieces of corrugated iron on ground and adhering to earthen walls; approx. 0.80m of ceramic pipe lying in the pit to the east.