Record Details
| NHER Number: | 38978 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Site of World War Two gun emplacement and trench system |
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Summary
A World War Two gun emplacement and trench system is visible on the cliffs at Sidestrand on aerial photographs. This is located to the immediate north of the site of a World War Two searchlight battery (NHER 38967), although it is not clear whether they were contemporary defences. Other cliff top defences are located to the east (NHER 35810, 38972, 38979).
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TG 25586 40397 |
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| Map Sheet: | TG24SE |
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| Parish: | SIDESTRAND, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
November 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two gun emplacement and trench system is visible on the cliffs at Sidestrand on aerial photographs (S1-2). The site is centred on TG 2558 4039 and is located to the immediate north of the site of a World War Two searchlight battery (NHER 38967), although it is not clear whether they were contemporary defences. Other cliff top defences are located to the east (NHER 35810, 38972, 38979).
At TG 2557 4037 is a circular gun emplacement, 3m in diameter and with a concrete gun pit, with an entrance to the west. To the north of this is a zigzag slit trench system, running from TG 2560 4039 to TG 2558 4040. The terminals and projecting points appears to have been revetted with concrete sections or possibly sandbags or earthen embankment in places. The concrete components project slightly above the profile of the trench, and may be related to firing positions. These defences are to the immediate north of the site of the searchlight battery. The battery is visible in October 1940 (S4), at which point this site has not been constructed. By August 1941 the battery has been dismantled and no sign of its structures no longer exists (S1) and the gun emplacement and trench system have been constructed nearer to the cliff top, replacing the guns of the battery.
S. Massey (NMP), 23 November 2004.
Monument Types
- GUN EMPLACEMENT (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)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. NMR TG 2540/15 (MSO 31255 S378/H50 23) 07-AUG-1941. |
| <S2> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1941. NMR TG 2540/16 (MSO 31255 S378/H50 24) 07-AUG-1941. |
| <S3> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1942. RAF AC/59 54-5 19-JUN-1942 (NMR). |
| <S4> | Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 2540/8 (MSO 31020 26/BR14/12 4903) 19-SEP-1940. |
Related records - none
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