Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

PARTS OF THIS SITE WERE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 11788.

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A large system of World War Two coastal and invasion defences are visible on aerial photographs, forming a strip 2.3 km inland from the coast at the Gorleston Golf Links to the Mill Waters reservoirs on the County border, Hopton-on-Sea (S1-S12). The site consists of an immense anti-tank ditch and bank, supplemented by barbed wire obstructions, slit trenches, roadblocks, pillboxes and gun emplacements. These formed the perimeter defences for the ‘Vulnerable Point’ of Great Yarmouth. The site is centred on TG 5219 0111. Many of the pillboxes, spigot mortar bases and anti-tank cubes still survive within field boundaries and have been surveyed as part of the Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey (S13), see NHER 42522- 42530. These remaining pillboxes and tank traps were previously recorded as part of NHER 11788 and this site had been referred to a ‘decoy airfield’, although there is no evidence for this on the available aerial photographs.

The anti-tank ditch and bank runs from the coastal cliffs to the reservoir by Hopton Hall, from TG 5124 0047 to TG 5324 0101, and is almost 2.5km in length. This has been constructed by August 1940 (S1). The ditch appears to have flat sides and bottom and is 4-6m wide (S5-S6). The ditch is flanked on either side by a wide bank of upcast material, up to 18m wide in places. Barbed wire obstructions also form an additional line of defence, these generally follow the course of the anti-tank ditch, although some stretches of wire have been set up around wider areas of defences, see below. Several small structures, probably gun emplacements, and weapons pits have been constructed along the banks, such as at TG 5286 0106, TG 5244 0108 and TG 5235 0099. At the last two locations small structures can be identified in March 1944 (S4) and these have both been removed by May 1944 (S5). It is likely that these were gun emplacements.

Roadblocks have also been set up where the ditch terminates at road junctions. These are generally formed by anti-tank cubes placed across the road surface. These road junctions are also the focus for additional defences, such as pillboxes and gun emplacements. A roadblock of anti-tank cubes has been set up near the western end of the anti-tank ditch, see NHER 42525 for details. A type 24 pillbox is located to the west at TG 5141 0070 (S9), overlooking the junction of the Hall Road and Sidegate Road. The Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey also recorded a spigot mortar emplacement base further to the north on Sidegate Road, see NHER 42524. To the northeast of this is a type 22 pillbox and a pair of spigot mortar emplacements within a field boundary, centred on TG 5178 0095, see NHER 42523 for details.

Further along the ditch to the east at the Lowestoft Road intersection is another roadblock consisting of four anti-tank cubes, centred on TG 5220 0095 (S5-S6). Approximately 160m to the north along the Lowestoft Road is a group of defensive structures, including a type 22 pillbox, several spigot mortar emplacements and a trench system, see NHER 42528-9 for details. A type 22 pillbox and a pair of spigot mortar emplacements are also located alongside the anti-tank ditch with the Long Belt at TG 5254 0120, see NHER 42527 for details. Where the old Gorleston railway line interrupts the anti-tank ditch, large anti-tank cubes along the track and sidings fill the gap (NHER 42530). A group of defensive structures are also located to the immediate north (NHER 43302).

The barbed wire obstructions that surround the anti-tank ditch form a complex network of defensive barriers, particularly the section in-between the old Gorleston railway and the coast. The barbed wire along the coastal strip continues north towards the Gorleston Links Coastal Battery (NHER 42473) and meets with the barbed wire defences associated with that site. The more structural components of the coastal defences on the Gorleston Golf Links are recorded under NHER 42485. The barbed wire has also been placed to the north of the anti-tank ditch along the Lowestoft Road, from TG 5217 0096 up to Masons Farm and then to the east and encloses the defensive structures, NHER 42526. The barbed wire also encloses a wider area at the western end of the anti-tank ditch as well. A wire barrier has been created around the Seamen Cottages, Sidegate Farm, Hollow Tree Cottages and Oak Farm. This barbed wire obstruction terminates at the ‘Blue Doors Loke’ at the site of an additional roadblock, consisting of three anti-tank cubes, see NHER 30907 for details.
S. Massey (NMP), 13 February 2006.

Monument Types

• ANTI TANK BLOCK (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• ANTI TANK DITCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BANK (EARTHWORK) (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (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)
• SLIT TRENCH (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)
• WEAPONS PIT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE
• SHINE
• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Hopton on Sea (Parish Summary)