Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

April 1985.
Top of hill beneath coastguard lookout. Underground bunker, one concrete slit visible, interior not accessible.
E. Rose (NAU), 28 April 1985

See (S1), which adds:
Ruins of 1940 six inch emergency battery. Some underground works remain.
D. Walker (NLA), July 1996.

March 2002.
Slab of concrete now protrudes from cliff; brick footings in eroded path.
E. Rose (NLA), 2 April 2002.

April 2004.
Excavations to lower level of Coastal Path have cut through the roof of a corrugated iron underground chamber immediately south of the slab.
E. Rose (NLA), 13 April 2004.

May 2004. Norfolk NMP. (Site extended and central grid reference for site altered from TG 1489 4342 to TG 1492 4346).
The site of a World War Two six inch emergency coastal battery and underground headquarters at Skelding Hill (S2 to S4). The site is centred on TG 1492 4346. The site is located within an extensive area of coastal defences and military training sites are visible along the Golf links at Sheringham on aerial photographs (NHER 38622).
The site consists of a group of underground structures and defences dug into Skelding Hill, centred on TG 1488 4343, covering an area of 100m by 400m. The emplacements for the large six inch guns are located at TG 1488 4347 and TG 1491 4347, both structures are visible as large rectangular structures, up to 10m long and up to 8m wide. These appear to have been either camouflaged or covered with earthwork on the 1941 aerial photographs (S3). The easternmost emplacement has a conjoined low structure or concrete platform to the southeast. A further large structure is visible at TG 1489 4345, this is T shaped and measures 9m by 6m. To the west of the main battery structures is a 2m wide zigzag section of sunken track, which appears to be a trench with a hard surface created, running from TG 1487 4346 to TG 1484 4347. This feature is quite pronounced and has an upcast bank to the south. It would appear to be a protected track or road leading towards another area of structures. At the western end of this trench are two probable bomb craters. At TG 1485 4349 on the cliff edge is a rectangular structure, 4.5m by 3m. It seems likely that this is either another gun emplacement or possibly a searchlight or similar feature.
It is obviously hard to discern the actual plan of the underground elements of the site, however several linear features with concreted surfaces are clearly around the site. It is not clear whether these are tracks or the top of underground structures. These appear to have several conjoined rectangular elements, with project out from the main alignments, these may represent chambers off the main underground structure. In 1946 a group of four circular depressions are visible along the route of some of these possible wall outlines, centred on TG 1487 4342, it is possible they have the appearance of bomb craters, although they are quite small and neat considering they should have hit a structure.
An oblong mound visible at TG 1487 4339, 8m by 4m, may represent a camouflaged or earthen covered gun emplacement or potentially it may relate to the main underground headquarters. A possible structure or mound of similar dimensions may be located at TG 1489 4339, although it is not clear on the aerial photographs.
To the east of this main coastal battery site and towards the eastern extent of the site and a large barbed wire enclosure (recorded under NHER 38622), is roughly oblong mound centred on TG 1502 4345, measuring 18m by 7.5m. The walls of a structure of some sort, approximately 9.5m long, with two small chambers projecting out, are visible within the surface of this raised platform. It would appear that the structure has either been dug into a bunker or existing mound, or perhaps the walls have been surrounded with an earthen bank.
S. Massey (NMP), 6 May 2004.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 13), Context 323:
Two fragments of concrete were visible at the top of the cliff face from TG 14880 43517 to TG 14901 43517. They were probably associated with Sheringham’s World War Two Coastal battery.
See assessment report (S5) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 25 April 2005.

December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area A33, Context 55:
At least four concrete slabs and three banks located on the top of Skelding Hill between TG 14909 43461 and TG 14864 43423. These are remains from the World War Two coastal battery.
See assessment report (S5) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 6 December 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.

August 2010. Field Observation (Visual Assessment).
A concrete plinth related to coastal battery was revealed eroding from the cliff at TG 14876 43468 and photographed by a member of the public.
R. Hoggett (HES), 14 January 2013.

December 2020. Email Correspondence.
A member of the public [1] has stated that there were at least two entrances located on the 'town side', which led directly inland and were accessible to local children in the mid-1950's. There were already signs of decay by this time, and by the early 1960's the entrances were blocked off.
H. Hamilton (HES), 28 January 2021.

Monument Types

• BOMB CRATER (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• COASTAL BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• UNDERGROUND MILITARY HEADQUARTERS (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• UNDERGROUND STRUCTURE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records