Record Details
| NHER Number: | 32546 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | World War Two pillbox, Rabbit's Hill |
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Summary
A World War Two pillbox that is the sole survivor of Norwich's World War Two perimeter defences. A survey undertaken in 2015 found it to be in generally good condition.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 1997 1121 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG11SE |
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| Parish: | HELLESDON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Only remaining World War Two pill box on Norwich perimeter, must be preserved.
Type 24v, dug into side of hill facing northwest.
Survey No. M1-4.
Information from [1]. See (S1) in file.
D. Walker (NLA) July 1996.
April 2010. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two pillbox is visible on aerial photographs (S2-S6) built into the northwest side of Rabbit’s Hill, Hellesdon, at TG 1997 1121. This is approximately 90m to the northwest from the original location of this monument, which was originally thought to be located at TG 2006 1117.
E. Bales (NMP), April 2010.
May 2015. Photographic Survey.
Level 1 photographic survey of pillbox. This work was undertaken as part of a detailed walkover survey completed ahead of the proposed redevelopment of the Royal Norwich Golf Club.
The pillbox is invisible from the south and heavy vegetation obscures it from other directions. It is built into a natural slope and as a result its roof is covered in soil and plant growth. Its exterior and interior faces are constructed from red brick (presumably covering a reinforced concrete core) and it has concrete lintels above the exterior openings of the embrasures and a roof made from a concrete slab. The entrance to north-east is shielded by a blast wall and there is also an internal brick anti-ricochet wall. It appears that it was sealed up after the war, with a barred gate placed over the entrance and the other openings blocked up.
Overall the condition of the structure is good. The external bricks have some surface damage caused by weathering and roots but the interior is well preserved (although any former fittings for gun emplacements and so forth have been removed).
See report (S7) for photographs and additional information.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 January 2021.
Monument Types
- PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Recording Form: [various]. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey Recording Form. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey. |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1633 5069-70 09-JUL-1946 (NMR). |
| <S3> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/2050 5188-9 06-MAY-1947 (NMR). |
| <S4> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/2111 5021-2 28-MAY-1947 (NMR). |
| <S5> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1951. RAF 58/644 5125-6 20-APR-1951 (NMR). |
| <S6> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1953. RAF 82/759 0152-3 09-APR-1953 (NMR). |
| <S7> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Craven, J. A. 2015. Royal Norwich Golf Club, Drayton High Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk. Archaeological Site Survey and Historic Building Record. Suffolk Archaeology. 2015/025. |
Related records - none
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