Yesterday the Norfolk Historic Environment Service’s Community Archaeology team carried out a day of activities focussing on the Second World War archaeology of the Norfolk town of Loddon.
The morning started at Loddon library with a presentation entitled 'Wartime Norfolk from the Air' looking at the ways in which aerial photographs can be used to interpret Second World War military sites, including coastal batteries, urban defences and airfields. Participants were then treated to a 'rations' lunch of Woolton pie and bread pudding laid on by the Loddon and District History Group, before the afternoon was rounded off with a guided ‘War Walk’ around the town.
Loddon was an extremely important river crossing during the Second World War and was given ample defences to protect it in the event of an invasion. The walk highlighted the surviving defences, including a number of pillboxes and a roadblock - a very rare survival indeed. The walk also explained how the town’s defences would have been used in the event of an invasion.
Details of the route of the Loddon War Walk will be appearing in the Heritage Trails section of this website soon.
Chris Kolonko