Record Details

NHER Number:26711
Type of record:Monument
Name:World War Two pillbox

Summary

A small concrete structure is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1945. It is probable that the structure is a World War Two pillbox or other military building.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TF 7441 4444
Map Sheet:TF74SW
Parish:THORNHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

January 2001. NMP.
A small structure can be seen at TF 7441 4444 on 1945 APs (S1). It is approximately 5m square and is likely to be a pillbox. It is also visible on 1952 (S2) and 1971 (S3) APs. It is most likely to date to the World War Two period, as part of the coastal defences in this area.
A. Hunt (NMP), 25 January 2001.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 7), Context 1045:
A Second World War or post-war concrete military building was observed from a distance (it was situated in an inaccessible area of Thornham saltmarsh). By taking several GPS points and making estimates of distance the building was located approximately at TF 74411, 44484. This point is 38m N of NHER 26711, a structure that is almost certainly the observed building. It seems probable that NHER 18078, an upstanding concrete structure observed about 145m to the northwest (TF 74300, 44580), is also the same structure. The siting of this structure was estimated in 1982 and, as no structure was seen at its location, it appears the estimate was slightly out.
See assessment report (S4) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 14 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.

Monument Types

  • MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • PILLBOX? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1945. RAF 106G/UK 369 Frame 4189 8-JUN-1945 (NMR).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1952. RAF 58/844 Frames 5243-5244 21-MAR-1952 (NMR).
<S3>Aerial Photograph: Fairey Surveys Ltd. 1971. (Fairey Surveys Ltd) 7181 Frame 5675 06-SEP-1971.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D., Crawley, P., Barker, A., and Whitmore, S. 2005. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey. Assessment Report and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1045.

Related records - none

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