Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Location

Full description

March 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A large World War Two training area surrounding Incleborough Hill and the golf course at Runton is visible on aerial photographs from 1946 (S1-2). The site consists of extensive areas of earthwork weapons pits and slit trenches and possible gun emplacements. The complex systems of trenches on top of Incleborough Hill itself are recorded under NHER 38547. This large dispersed site is centred on TG 1881 4218. The World War Two trenches and tank training site mentioned in NHER 30588 are now included within this record. This record refers to documentary evidence for the Middlesex Regiment using this area as a training ground and in particular Congham Hill being used for tank training. On the 1946 aerial photographs sets of wide tracks can clearly be seen around the hill, presumably relating to this practice. These are relatively temporary features and were therefore not mapped, although the route was noted on the Notes page associated with the mapping. The tank training appears to have taken place mainy to the south and east of the site. The military features are very dispersed and it is not possible here to record them all individually, reference to the mapping will provide the details.
The eastern area of the site is mainly characterised by pit digging. The most obvious group of pits is centred on TG 1857 4230. These consist of several short sections of slit trench and smaller one and two man trenches, or weapons pits. These are mainly arranged in a linear arrangement. Another group is centred on TG 1863 4223, again these have a linear arrangement. To the immediate south, both of the ridge tops are also covered with small stretches of trench and pits at TG 1854 4218 and TG 1865 4213. There are likely to be further earthworks, although vegetation was obscuring some areas.
Over to the south on Town Hill (the location of NHER 30588), another cluster of trenches and pits is visible, centred on TG 1833 4210, including two roughly curvilinear trenches running from TG 1829 4210 to TG 1833 4213. The peak to the east, centred on TG 1869 4201, appears to have been enclosed by an elongated semi-circular ditch, running from TG 1866 4202 to TG 1870 4201. To the immediate north of this, also on the summit, are two possible gun emplacements. At TG 1867 4202 is a sunken area, flanked by embankments, 6m across, and at TG 1870 4203 is a horse-shoe emplacement, 8m by 5m. The whole of the side of the hill is covered with evidence of pit digging, some of these may be World War Two date features cut into existing quarry pits.
To the north of the site, backing on to Station Close, is an area of possible emplacements. Although some caution must be applied when interpreting all of these features and some may relate to the earlier golf course at this location. At TG 1838 4240 is a sunken feature, 3-4m across, to the immediate north of this is a cross-shaped cut. Curvilinear banks, up to 2m wide surround both of these features. It seems likely that this structure is a World War Two gun emplacement of some sort. Two other possible earthworks emplacements were mapped at TG 1832 4240 and at TG 1835 4242. A possible rectangular structure was also noted at TG 1834 4244, measuring 5.5m by 3m. It is possible that this building is military in origin. The only other possible structure identified was to the south of the site, alongside at field boundary at TG 1881 4197. It is not clear whether the structure was circular or polygonal, measuring 3m across. It also possible that this is military in origin, possibly a pillbox although this is not definite.
See (S1-2).
S. Massey (NMP) 25 March 2004.

Monument Types

• GUN EMPLACEMENT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• MILITARY TRAINING SITE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• PRACTICE TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• SLIT TRENCH (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
• WEAPONS PIT (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

Related records - none

Find out more...

• Parish Summary: Runton (Parish Summary)