Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

March 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two coastal military defences and training site on Beeston Regis Hill, Sheringham, which are visible on RAF aerial photographs (S1 to S2). The site is centred on TG 1670 4331. These include pillboxes, gun emplacements and a large system of slit trenches, fieldworks and barbed wire. Some elements of this site has been recorded separately (NHER 21298 and 36526).
The main component of the site is a system of interconnected slit trenches, running from TG 1632 4343 to TG 1687 4326. These trench sections form an approximately 650m long chain, of largely zigzag ditches and upcast banks. This trench system goes along the summit of Beeston Regis Hill. At the summit there is a section of associated trench and an octagonal structure recorded under NHER 21298. At the eastern end of the trench system at TG 1687 4325 is a roughly lozenge shaped mound, 9m by 6.5m, surrounded by a trench. It is possible that this is structure or bunker of some sort that has been covered over or camouflaged. This is to the immediate west of NHER 36526, a possible World War Two pillbox or gun emplacement. Also associated with this trench were several gun emplacements. At TG 1643 4340 is a 5m in diameter circular embanked emplacement, with an opening to the northwest. Also identified was another emplacement or possible spigot mortar emplacement at TG 1680 4331, consisting of a partially embanked circular trench 2m in diameter, with three narrow trenches coming off it, within which a circular structure is visible, 0.5 to 1m in diameter.
Other World War Two structures and defences were identified. In 1941 at TG 1676 4331 is a hexagonal pillbox, measuring 3 to 4m across (S1). By 1946 additional structures had been built on the site. To the west of this is a rectangular structure visible in 1946 (S2) at TG 1671 4332, 16m by 7m, and at TG 1667 4331, 5.5m by 4m. Also a 3m wide hexagonal structure is visible at TG 1680 4322.
In 1941 the whole of the site was surrounded by several stretches of barbed wire, in particular to the east end of the site. By 1946 the majority of this temporary defence had been removed, also many of the slit trenches are no longer visible as clear earthworks (S2).
H. Clare (NMP) and S. Massey (NMP), 30 March 2004.

See NHER 41557 for 2004 Norfolk Rapid Coastal Survey entry, may be part of same site.
See (S1).
J. Allen (NLA), 25 April 2005.

December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area A16, Context 22:
Rectangular depression measuring 15m by 8m by 2m deep. Located on western side of Beeston Bump at TG 16711 43340 – probably a World War Two structure recorded by NMP at this point.
See assessment report (S3) 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.

December 2005.
This material recorded during the Norfolk Rapid Coastal Survey (NHER 41557) was found on the beach. If it was part of the military buildings at this site, it must have fallen off the cliff top onto the beach.
D. Robertson (NLA), 22 December 2005.

June 2006. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks at 7 Conway Road.
This work identified the collapsed remains of a tunnel that had probably been associated with the area's World War Two defenses. There was no evidence for the features mapped by the Norfolk NMP at this location.
See report (S4) and NHER 45434 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 January 2016.

Monument Types

• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (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)
• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• PRACTICE TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SLIT TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SPIGOT MORTAR EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• STRUCTURE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records