Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Pre 1996.
World War Two shelter cut into hillside behind Number 8.
D.Gurney (NLA), 26 July 1996.

23 September 1996. Site visit.
The World War Two shelter is semi-sunken, at the foot of the steep natural scarp behind Myngs Terrace. A Stanton type shelter, with parabolic modular pre-cast concrete panels. Entrance with steps down and brick blast wall. Blocked rectangular emergency entrance through low covering mound at rear. See (S1) figure 31.
See also plan in file.
D.Gurney (NLA), 1 October 1996.

26 March 1997. Myngs Terrace demolished. The World War Two shelter has been destroyed and the scarp to the west reprofiled.
D.Gurney (NLA), 1 April 1997.

March 2003. Norfolk NMP.
A small military camp is visible on aerial photographs (S3) to the rear of the now demolished Myngs Terrace on Purdy Street, Salthouse. Catriona Court now sits on the location of the site. The site consists of military huts, structures and air raid shelters. The camp was originally used by the RAF and then taken over by the army (S2). This camp was also used as a German prisoner of war camp between August and September 1947 (S2). Approximately 100 hundred German prisoners of war are said to have arrived in the area in 1946 and were put to work clearing mines from Blakeney to Mundesley (S2).

Three quite substantial structures are located at TG 0735 4368, TG 0735 4370 and TG 0737 4372. The largest of these measures 15m by 5m, the other two measuring 12m by 5m. Clustered around the eastern end of the site are seven curved profile huts, measuring approximately 9m by 3m. These are likely to be temporary structures and are probably nissen huts. These are located at TG 0736 4367, TG 0737 4367, TG 0738 4370, TG 0737 4369, TG 0738 4371, TG 0739 4372, TG 0739 4373 and TG 0738 4373.

Several other structures have a more pointed roof profile and measuring approximately 10-11m by 4-5m. These are located at TG 0735 4366, TG 0732 4366, TG 0733 4368, TG 0733 4370 and TG 0734 4371. The pointed profile of these structures is consistent with the shape of the Stanton air raid shelters. At least one Stanton shelter survived on the site until relatively recently. These are likely to have been the shelters for the inhabitants of Salthouse and any military personnel stationed within the area. Several small concrete structures of unknown function are visible. A 5m square structure is located amongst the huts at TG 0737 4377 and another rectangular structure is positioned to the far north west of the site at TG 0731 4372, measuring 6m by 4m. The more isolated position of this structure may indicate that it is a pillbox. The structures on the site are linked together by a series of roads, paths and concrete surfaces. S. Massey (NMP), 24 March 2003.

In 1946 this was the site of an army camp, see (S2). Could the shelter be post-war? Myngs Terrace itself was of interest as housing constructed to provide accommodation for those made homeless by the 1953 floods.
E. Rose (NLA), 22 October 2003.

Monument Types

• AIR RAID SHELTER (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY CAMP (Cold War - 1945 AD to 1992 AD)
• TERRACE (Mid 20th Century to 21st Century - 1953 AD to 2100 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Salthouse (Parish Summary)