Editing River Mole (section)

===Second World War defences===
During the [[Second World War]] several sites along the course of the Mole were fortified for the defence of London against invasion from the south. [[GHQ Line|GHQ Line B]] ran along the North Downs from Farnham and Guildford, crossing the Mole Gap to the north of Dorking and following the river to Horley.<ref name=DA12>{{cite web |url= http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue//adsdata/arch-455-1/dissemination/pdf/Text_Reports/DA12_TEXT_-_DORKING_GAP.pdf |title= Defence Area 12: Dorking Gap |author= Foot W |year= 2009 |work= Defence Areas: a national study of Second World War anti-invasion landscapes in England |publisher= English Heritage |access-date= 11 December 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110811042351/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue//adsdata/arch-455-1/dissemination/pdf/Text_Reports/DA12_TEXT_-_DORKING_GAP.pdf |archive-date= 11 August 2011 |url-status= live }}</ref> Between Betchworth and Box Hill, the north bank of the River Mole was stabilised and made steeper to prevent wheeled vehicles from crossing. At Boxhill Farm, where access to the river from the north bank was required for the herd of dairy cows, a row of twelve concrete cylinders were cast as an anti-tank measure. Gun mounts were also installed to protect both Boxhill and Deepdene bridges and several [[Bunker#Pillbox|pillboxes]] were installed.<ref name=DA12/><ref name="Marchington T 2000 96–100">{{cite journal |author= Marchington T |year= 2000 |title= Wartime Defences: A Second Look |journal= Proceedings of the Leatherhead and District Local History Society |volume= 6 |issue= 4 |pages= 96–100 |publisher= Leatherhead and District Local History Society}}</ref><ref name=Telegraph_walk>{{cite journal |date=2 March 2011 |title=Box Hill, Surrey: walk of the week |journal=Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/walkingholidays/8356605/Box-Hill-Surrey-walk-of-the-week.html |access-date=29 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309211404/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/walkingholidays/8356605/Box-Hill-Surrey-walk-of-the-week.html |archive-date=9 March 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> An anti-tank ditch was dug from the Stepping Stones eastwards across the fields belonging to Bradley Farm (now [[Denbies Wine Estate|Denbies vineyard]]).<ref name=DA12/>

The river crossing at Sidlow Bridge was heavily defended and a line of pill boxes was constructed on the north bank of the river. Concrete anti-tank [[dragon's teeth (fortification)|dragon's teeth]] were built on both sides of the river, a short distance upstream of the bridge, as an obstacle to [[armoured fighting vehicle|armoured vehicles]].<ref name=DA38>{{cite web |url= http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue//adsdata/arch-455-1/dissemination/pdf/Text_Reports/DA38_TEXT_-_SIDLOW_BRIDGE.pdf |title= Defence Area 38: Sidlow Bridge |author= Foot W |year= 2009 |work= Defence Areas: a national study of Second World War anti-invasion landscapes in England |publisher= English Heritage |access-date= 11 December 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110811042500/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue//adsdata/arch-455-1/dissemination/pdf/Text_Reports/DA38_TEXT_-_SIDLOW_BRIDGE.pdf |archive-date= 11 August 2011 |url-status= live }}</ref>