Record Details

NHER Number:27475
Type of record:Monument
Name:World War Two Coastal Gun Battery, Nova Scotia Farm, West Caister

Summary

Remains of a World War Two 6 inch coastal gun battery are present at Nova Scotia Farm, West Caister. Despite its position 1.5km inland, this was an emergency coastal gun battery constructed in 1940. The guns faced towards the southeast rather than directly out to sea and were positioned to defend Great Yarmouth harbour. The site was abandoned in 1941. Two gun casemates and a Nissen hut survive at the site. These structures are visible on post war aerial photographs.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 50950 13349
Map Sheet:TG51SW
Parish:WEST CAISTER, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

July 2005. Norfolk NMP.
Remains of a World War Two 6 inch coastal gun battery are visible on aerial photographs (S1) to (S3). This battery is located at Nova Scotia Farm, West Caister and lies at TG 5094 1336. Although it is situated nearly 1.5km inland the battery lies on a hill at over 15m OD giving it a clear view out to sea.
This appears to have been an emergency coastal gun battery constructed in 1940 to defend Great Yarmouth harbour (S7). The two 6 inch guns were installed in sandbag casemates, an arrangement typical of many emergency batteries (S5). Two brick and concrete casemates replaced these, but it is doubtful that any new guns were installed and the battery went out of use in 1941(S6). No mention of this gun battery was recorded in a gazetteer of such sites (S6) and its temporary status may mean that it is difficult to identify surviving World War Two official documents.
No aerial photographs are available showing the area of the battery whilst it was operational. The earliest aerial photographs showing the area date to May 1944 (S4). Unfortunately the buildings at the battery are concealed in woodland and are not visible on these aerial photographs. As the battery was out of use by 1944, any barbed wire or other defences surrounding it appear to have been removed by that date.
The two gun casemates appear to still survive and are visible on post war aerial photographs (S1) to (S3) as well as being marked on current Ordnance Survey maps. They are T shape in plan and measure approximately 10m by 10m. Both of the casemates face towards the southeast, which seems to support their intended role in the defence of Great Yarmouth harbour. If the battery had been designed to serve a solely coastal defence role, east facing casemates would have been more logical. A Nissen hut is present to the west of the two casemates. This building also appears to survive on the aerial photographs (S1) to (S3) and Ordnance Survey mapping.
J. Albone (NMP), 20 July 2005

Site visited July 2008. Both casemates survive, although eaterly casemate shoing some delamination in the concrete, with some spalling and visible reinforcement. Both used as farm stores. Nissen hut survives, although both gables replaced with corrugated iron doors. Used as farm stores (interior inaccessible at time of visit).
K. Hamilton (NLA) 5 December 2008

Monument Types

  • CASEMATE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • COAST ARTILLERY BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • COASTAL BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • EMERGENCY COAST DEFENCE BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
  • NISSEN HUT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1952. RAF 540/705 5132-5133 09-APR-1952 (NMR).
<S2>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1982. OS/82080 021-022 05-MAY-1982.
<S3>Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1993. OS/93316 121-122 11-AUG-1993.
<S4>Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1944. RAF 106G/LA/17 4017-4018 28-MAY-1944 (NMR).
<S5>Serial: Dobinson, C.S.. 2000. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. Vol. VI.1 Coast Artillery 1900-56..
<S6>Serial: Dobinson, C.S.. 2000. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. Vol. VI.2 Coast Artillery 1900-56..
<S7>Publication: Tooke, C.. 2004. West Caister. p 35.

Related records - none

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