Stour Valley’s wartime pillboxes honoured in evocative new photography exhibition

The Long Melford Heritage Trust (LMHT), in association with Heritage Open Days, is set to host “Silent Witness: The 1940 Weekend” at The Old School, The Green, Long Melford, later this month.

This free exhibition invites the public to journey back to the tense summer of 1940 when Britain hastily assembled its defences in the face of imminent invasion. 

By synthesising every day histories from Melford and the Stour Valley with interactive displays, the event provides a powerful tribute to local resilience during Britain’s “darkest hour”.

The exhibition focuses on the summer of 1940, a period of immense national vulnerability following the evacuation at Dunkirk. 

As the Battle of Britain raged in the skies above, the British public faced the very real threat of invasion. 

Visitors will learn about the strategic “Stop Line” of concrete defences that passed directly through Sudbury and Melford, a critical component of the nation’s inland defences against an advancing enemy.

The event, sponsored by Nethergate Brewery, pure energy, Bacton Logistics and Suffolk County Council, places the Stour Valley’s iconic network of pill boxes front and centre:

• Mick Cant’s Photography Exhibition: A contemporary perspective featuring evocative images of local pillboxes as they stand today, resisting the ravages of time.
• Pillbox Projection & Soundscapes: A full-scale replica pillbox illumination paired with atmospheric audio recreating the whine and rumble of fighter aircraft overhead.

Visitors can also experience an array of tangible experiences from the time in unforgettable clarity. 

Long Melford’s volunteers have joined together with experts to create a plethora of interactions that bring this critical time in Britain’s past to life:

• 10th Battalion Suffolk Home Guard, ‘B’ Company: Interactions with a dedicated living history group that showcases the local defensive units of 1940 through authentic drills and uniforms.
• WWII vehicles: A curated display of historic vehicles, providing a tangible link to wartime transport and the mechanical reality of the 1940s.
• Captain Mainwaring’s HQ: A faithful recreation of the iconic headquarters, capturing the unique blend of humour and patriotism that defined the era’s morale (built by the local Stour Valley “Men’s Shed” chapter).
• “Melford Memories” and Stour Valley Histories: An exploration of the Home Front through fascinating, every day local narratives, curated photographs and archival records of the region.
• NAAFI tearoom: A replica of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) tearoom, serving as a social hub for refreshments and community spirit, just as it did in the 1940s.
• Family Activities: Hands-on engagement designed for all ages, with visitors strongly encouraged to attend in WWII-era costume to enhance the period atmosphere.

The Artistic Vision: “Silent Witnesses”

A primary highlight of the weekend is the work of Suffolk photographer Mick Cant. 

His images capture the drama of pillboxes within the local landscape. 

While the event’s soundscapes recreate the noise of conflict, Cant’s photography focuses on these concrete structures as “Silent Witnesses” to the passage of time. 

These sentinels, built hastily in 1940, are portrayed not just as ruins, but as powerful symbols of a landscape once braced for war, now standing in quiet resistance against the elements.

The NAAFI tearoom experience

The NAAFI tearoom serves as the social heart of the exhibition, mirroring its historical role as a vital hub for boosting wartime morale and community spirit. To further enhance the immersive atmosphere, the Trust invites all visitors to “join the fun” by wearing WWII-period costumes. This hands-on, family-friendly approach ensures that the histories of the Stour Valley remain accessible, engaging, and relevant for the next generation of heritage keepers.

Precious local memories

The exhibition will also feature a collection of local anecdotes, photographs and historical records curated by the Long Melford Heritage Trust. Childhood memories, family albums and other memorabilia bring the life and times of those involved into stark focus. Through these rare and intimate personal accounts, visitors will gain an unforgettable, first hand perspective on the perils of 1940s Suffolk.

“Don’t panic Mr Mainwaring”!

For light relief from the serious and confronting themes of the times, soundbites and images from the popular BBC sit-com “Dad’s Army”, which was both set and shot in East Anglia will be interspersed with the authentic 1940s soundscape. Stour Valley Men’s Shed chapter have even re-constructed Captain Mainwaring’s HQ so visitors can make a direct connection with these famous comic characters and the real-life individuals the series was based on, including Long Melford’s own 10th Battalion Suffolk Home Guard, “F” Company.

Safeguarding Suffolk’s Pill Box Heritage

“Silent Witness” is a year-long community heritage project launched in April 2026 by the Long Melford Heritage Trust. The mission is to survey and document the surviving World War II archaeology across the local area.

Many wartime pillboxes are now overgrown and rapidly deteriorating. No formal assessment of these heritage assets has been undertaken for over 30 years, since the nationwide Defence of Britain Project.

By surveying these sites, volunteers will play a hands-on role in re-evaluating local history. 

The goal is to build the evidence needed to secure protective listing status for these vulnerable monuments, updating the Suffolk Historic Environment Record (HER) for future generations.

Work is just beginning. Over the winter months, volunteer teams will head into the field to conduct these surveys and heritage research. 

This fieldwork will form the backbone of a campaign to protect these sites and create new educational resources for schools and the public.

Elaine Symonds, trustee and project lead, said: “This exhibition is more than just a look back at our history; it is a tribute to the resilience of the wartime generation and our community during Britain’s darkest hour. 

“Pillboxes are often overlooked, but they stand as powerful, silent reminders of a time when our fields and villages were the frontline of national defence. 

“Through ‘Silent Witness’, we want to bring these stories to life for a new generation while launching a critical effort to survey, document, and ultimately protect these deteriorating monuments before they are lost forever.”

It is all taking place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, from 10am to 4pm on the Saturday, and 10am to 3pm on the Sunday.