Record Details
| NHER Number: | 33697 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Monument |
|---|
| Name: | World War Two seachlight battery |
|---|
Summary
This is the site of an anti aircraft searchlight battery from World War Two, which is visible on aerial photographs taken by the RAF in 1946.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8155 4150 |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TF84SW |
|---|
| Parish: | BURNHAM MARKET, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
June 1946.
RAF air photograph shows complex of circular structures indicating a searchlight battery and associated buildings etc.
Isolated concentric base to east may have been pill box
(TF 8162 4150).
1970.
OS photography shows as arable.
B. Cushion (NLA) 11 June 1998.
May 2002. Norfolk NMP.
Site consists of anti aircraft searchlight battery, with associated huts, structures and defences, visible on 1946 RAF aerial photographs (S1). At TF 8149 4151 are a group of three sub-circular and pennanular banks or sandbagged walls. These are all around 2m wide and surround the remains of sub-circular and sub-rectangular structures between 9-10m across. These are the remains of the searchlights. These structures are linked to each other and the site huts by a chain of paths. The huts are located at TF 8148 4147. There are seven huts of varying sizes and presumably functions. The western hut is 8m by 4m and appears to be a curved profile hut (CPH). To the west of this group, at TF 8146 4146, is what appears to be the remains of or base of a rectangular structure, 12.5m by 8m. At TF 8144 4150 is a semi-circular earthen bank or sandbagged wall, 3m wide and 20m across. In the centre of this is a small circular area, which appears to be the base of a now removed structure. This may be a further searchlight or a gun emplacement. To the north of this is a second circular structure at TF 8144 4152. It is 12.5m in diameter and 1.5m wide. It appears to be surrounding a rectangular structure at its centre, although it does not have any visible height like the other blast walls. A parched trackway leads from this structure to the huts. Halfway along this trackway is a circular parchmark, 10m across. To the north of the site, at TF 8143 4154 is a hexagonal pillbox, 5m across. To the east, at TF 8149 4154, are two sub-rectangular bases, surrounded by earthen banks. The most complete of the two measured 7.5m². A ditch runs around the eastern extent of the main site. An outlier defence is located to the east of the site at TF 8167 4150. This appears to be sub-rectangular platform or base, 10.5 by 7m. This appears to be surrounded on all sides but the south by stretches of wall. This is then surrounded by a three sided bank or sandbag wall, 20m by 30m. Again the southern approach is left open. A defensive structure, possibly an emplacement or pillbox may have once stood in this location
S. Massey (NMP), 24 May 2002.
Pillbox recorded as NHER 32672 may be part of this site.
M. Horlock (NLA), 9 December 2002.
Monument Types
- BOUNDARY DITCH (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)
- PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- SEARCHLIGHT BATTERY (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- STRUCTURE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: TF 84/TF 8141/A. |
| <S1> | Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1571 4277-8 07-JUN-1946 (Norfolk SMR TF 8041A, TF 8141A). |
Related records - none
Find out more...