Record Details

NHER Number:38850
Type of record:Monument
Name:World War Two defences

Summary

A group of World War Two pillboxes, gun emplacements and defensive barriers are visible on aerial photographs on the promenade end of Cromer Pier. The most clearly visible element of the site is a type 22 pillbox camouflaged as an ice cream stand. A concrete cube or block has been placed to block the path up from the beach. During World War Two there were several other pillboxes were positioned at intervals along the promenade to both east and west, NHER 32576, 38833, 38849 and 38857 to 8. A further possible pillbox is located above the end of the pier, cut into the cliff, NHER 38851.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 21936 42347
Map Sheet:TG24SW
Parish:CROMER, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

October 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two pillboxes, gun emplacements defensive barriers are visible on aerial photographs on the promenade end of Cromer Pier (S1 to S3). The most clearly visible element of the site is a type 22 pillbox camouflaged as an ice cream stand. During World War Two there were several other pillboxes were positioned at intervals along the promenade to both east and west (NHER 32576, 38833, 38849 & 38857-8). A further possible pillbox is located above the end of the pier, cut into the cliff (NHER 38851).

The potentially earliest element of the site is a hexagonal pillbox located at TG 2194 4233, visible in 1940 (S1 to S2). This measures 5m across and appears to be a type 22 pillbox. The pillbox appears to have been camouflaged as an ice cream stand or similar seafront building, with candy stripe painted walls and pitched roof. Other military activity is obviously taking place and other structures may be present, but the aerial photographs is not sufficiently near to the coast for the structures to be clearly seen (S1).

To the west of the pier is a rectangular emplacement or pillbox constructed flush and partially camouflaged into the side of the pier wall, measuring 6m by 3m and located at TG 2191 4235. On one of the oblique aerial photographs from 1941 the loopholes can be seen just above the normal wall height (S4).

A further possible structure is visible on the aerial photographs at located TG 2195 4234. This feature cannot be clearly seen on any of the available aerial photographs. It appears to be roughly polygonal and measures up to 2.5m wide. It is possible this is a further gun emplacement. To the east of this blocking the path up from the beach itself, is a concrete block or cube, measuring approximately 1.5m wide. The actual pier also appears to be blocked by a series of smaller structures and fencing in 1941. These barriers probably relate to the be pre-war running of the pier, although additional blocks may have been added in-between (S4).

None of these defensive structures can be seen by June 1946 (S5).
S. Massey (NMP), 13 October 2004.

Monument Types

  • ANTI TANK BLOCK (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • CUBE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • ROADBLOCK (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • ROADBLOCK (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • STRUCTURE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • TANK TRAP (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Monograph: Harbord, R.. 2001. The Piers & Jetties of Cromer, Norfolk: A survey of historical structures on the foreshore..
<S1>Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 2142/9 (MSO 31024 26/BR14/17 5307) 15-OCT-1940.
<S2>Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. NMR TG 2142/12 (MSO 31255 S378/H50 20) 07-AUG-1941.
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. RAF S/378 83-4 07-AUG-1941 (NMR).
<S4>Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. NMR TG 2142/15 (MSO 31254 S449/H52 5) 28-AUG-1941.
<S5>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 4186-7 07-JUN-1946 (Norfolk SMR TG 2141A, TG 2241A).

Related records - none

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