Record Details
| NHER Number: | 39192 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Site of World War Two slit trench |
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Summary
A World War Two slit trench is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs. It may have been excavated as a practice trench, or it possibly formed part of the extensive network of coastal defences that has been identified along this strip of coastline, which was heavily protected during the war. If it did form part of the strategic defences for the area, it must have been linked to the larger military site (NHER 39193) to its north and east; by 1943 the latter was dominated by an emergency coast defence battery (NHER 14142).
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 3084 3707 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG33NW |
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| Parish: | MUNDESLEY, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
January 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two slit trench is visible as a fresh earthwork on aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S1-2), centred at TG 3085 3707. It may form part of the wider network of coastal defences, and of the larger defensive site (NHER 39193) to its north and east. Its location, however, does not appear to be particularly strategic and it might equally be a practice trench. Its general appearance is very similar to two other slit trenches, one only partially excavated, which lie to its west (NHER 39190 and 39191), both of which may be practice trenches. It is very different from the narrow slit trench which forms part of the coastal defences to its north (at TG 3084 3719, part of NHER 39197). Alternatively, all three might simply relate to an earlier phase of defence construction.
The trench has the zigzag outline typical of World War Two slit trenches. Relatively elaborate termini may be entrances. The trench was already partially levelled by July 1941 (S3), and by 1946 a spigot mortar emplacement had been constructed over (or on the edge of) one end of the trench (at TG 3084 3708, part of NHER 39193).
(S1-3)
S. Tremlett (NMP), 10 January 2005.
Monument Types
- PRACTICE TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
- SLIT TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. RAF 2/BR186 7-8 05-SEP-1940 (NMR). |
| <S2> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 3036/2 (MSO 31020 26/BR14/12 4881) 19-SEP-1940. |
Related records - none
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