Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

Part of gigantic bomb storage area for the USAAF during World War Two. Connected with NHER 41372 and NHER 41374 by storage areas along road verges, the whole known as Earsham store; Headquarters building at NHER 41375. Supplied from siding on railway at Earsham, bombs were sent by lorry as required over radius of forty two miles. Continued in use until mid 1950s as military store. Concrete roadways and storage slabs remain in woods.
Information from (S1).
E. Rose (NLA), 21 April 2005.

June 2006. Norfolk NMP
A World War Two bomb storage facility is visible on 1945 and later aerial photographs (S2-S4). A network of concrete roads and hardstandings are present in and around Park’s Wood at Hedenham. These relate to a USAAF bomb store that was part of a larger complex with its headquarters at Earsham Hall (NHER 41375) (S1). This site was one of several located in woodlands around the hall and has been extended to include adjacent roadside stores. A curving concrete road and various pitched roof and Nissen hut type buildings were present within Park’s Wood. The road continued to the west of the wood and was flanked by further hardstandings for bomb storage and for buildings. A second group of hardstandings were present along a short section of concrete road in a pasture field 240m to the north at TM 3079 9152. To the south of this road at TM 3083 9152 was a large curved profile building with a span of 29m and a length of 11m. This appears to be a blister hanger, but its dimensions do not closely match any World War Two British hanger. Its purpose may have been for storage as the small size of the pasture field in which it was located means that only light aircraft could have landed there. Pairs of Nissen hut type buildings were located adjacent to the roads at TM 3075 9172 and TM 3085 9179. A pitched roof hut, probably a sentry post, was situated on the edge of the road at TM 3076 9179 marking the northern limit of the bomb storage area on this road. Other similar sentry posts were located on roads further to the east (NHER 43781, 43783). Roadside bomb storage areas, comprising concrete hardstandings, were present between these buildings and Park’s Wood, and to the south of the wood itself. Further woodland bomb stores were present to west at Sexton Wood (NHER 41372) and to the south at America Wood/Big Wood (NHER 43784). Other roadside bomb stores are also present to the southwest (NHER 43780, 43785) and north (NHER 43782) of Park’s Wood. Although the concrete road and hardstandings survive in Park’s Wood and some of the hardstandings are present alongside of the roads, the majority of the other remains had been removed by 1963 (S4).
J. Albone (NMP), 19 June 2006

Monument Types

• AIRCRAFT HANGAR (TRANSPORTABLE)? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• BOMB STORE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• NISSEN HUT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SENTRY BOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

• SHINE

Sources and further reading

Related records

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Hedenham (Parish Summary)