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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	24183
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	World War Two Allan Williams Turret

Summary

This World War Two Allan Williams Turret is embedded in the modern sea bank north of Cley next the Sea village. It would have functioned as a gun emplacement and is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1994.

Images

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 0478 4434
Map Sheet:	TG04SW
Parish:	CLEY NEXT THE SEA, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

November 1987. Visit.
Cupola, World War Two. Iron dome with offcentre port in one side; lifting ring on top. Gun mounting inside. Revolves on three iron wheels on iron circular lower section, containing seat; iron lined tunnel from exterior.
E. Rose (NAU), 21 November 1987.

May 1994. No change.
E. Rose (NLA), 29 May 1994.

See (S1) in file, which adds: Very rare Allan Williams Turret, designed to mount Lewis gun in either anti aircraft or ground role. Date 1940. Survey No. D1-3. In very good condition.
D. Walker (NLA) July 1996.

March 2003. Norfolk NMP.
World War Two pillbox just visible on Ordance Survey aerial photographs from 1994 (S2).
H. Clare (NMP), 7 April 2003.

December 2003. Visit.
No change, except full of rubbish.
E. Rose (NLA), 8 December 2003.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 11), Context 889:
The Allan Williams turret was made from two steel sections. The lower was cylindrical with an entrance and was partly embedded in the modern sea bank. The upper was dome shaped.
See assessment report (S3) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 20 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.

Monument Types

ALLAN WILLIAMS TURRET (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---	Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---	Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>	Recording Form: [various]. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey Recording Form. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey.
<S2>	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1994. OS/94172 007-9 14-JUN-1994.
<S3>	Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D., Crawley, P., Barker, A., and Whitmore, S. 2005. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey. Assessment Report and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1045.