Public access to the pillboxes has not been confirmed. Do not leave a public route or enter the buried passage. The map point is approximate, not an entrance.
Read the information we checked ↗ · checked 2026-09-22
Use public paths and visitor areas. Do not enter unstaffed tunnels, shafts, railway land or restricted property.
Advice before you visitInformation checked 2026-09-22. We checked the official heritage record. No site visit or direct confirmation from a landowner or operator.
The story of this place
In 1940 or 1941, builders placed two small defensive shelters above the A635 between Barnsley and Manchester. Their openings faced the road where it descends from Saddleworth Moor. The aim was to watch a narrow route an invading force might use. Historic England calls them part of a defended locality, not a continuous line of defences.
The shelters were designed as a pair. One sat higher on the slope, the other lower down, with an underground L-shaped passage between them. Their position among boulders helped disguise the brick and concrete work.
- Historic England — Saddleworth Moor A635 linked pillboxes ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-22
What remains
The official listing describes brick walls, concrete roofs and narrow openings for rifles or light machine guns. It says only the upper parts show above the hillside. The listing also warns that its mapped circle is approximate because much of the structure is buried.
That description records the protected building, not its condition today. We have not inspected the slope or established a public route to the shelters.
- Historic England — Saddleworth Moor A635 linked pillboxes ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-22
What we still need to check
The listing confirms the history and approximate position, but gives no current public-access permission or condition survey.
Sources for the visiting information
- Historic England — Saddleworth Moor A635 linked pillboxes ↗ · reviewed 2026-09-22
About the original record
This place is recorded by Historic England / Planning Data. The details below include the original description of its building or site type.
Place details
- Category
- WWII defences
- Building or site type (original wording)
- Pair of Second World War pillboxes, A635, Greenfield, Saddleworth Moor
- Period or date
- Built around 1940–1941
- Current condition
- Not checked in person
- Heritage protection
- II
- Date protection was granted
- 2020-02-12
- Nearby town
- Oldham (approximate)
- County named in the original record
- Not supplied
- Current county or council area
- Oldham
- Nation
- England
- Original record number
- 1465066
- Coordinates
- 53.53875, -1.974468 (reference point, not an entrance)
- Heritage data checked
- 2026-09-13
- Source last updated
- 2026-09-12
- Visitor information checked
- 2026-09-22
We checked the downloaded heritage record on 2026-09-13. We have not visited or inspected the site. The map point may refer to a whole site, one structure or a location where little remains.