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Norfolk Heritage Explorer

Record Details

NHER Number:	42130
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Site of World War Two coastal defences

Summary

A World War Two coastal defence site is visible as a group of structures and buildings on aerial photographs taken from 1940 onwards. It comprised several defensive structures, including two probable pillboxes, surrounded on their seaward side by barriers of barbed wire or similar material, later replaced by a more extensive line of beach scaffolding (NHER 42105). It is one of several such sites visible along this stretch of coastline, which, together with other military installations located on both the beach and the dunes and grassland further inland, formed a continuous line of defences. Later aerial photographs indicate that several elements of the site (such as the Type 24 pillbox) survived until the early 1950s; although nothing is visible on modern aerial photographs of the site it is possible that parts survive buried within the sand dunes or obscured by vegetation.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:	TG 4808 2241
Map Sheet:	TG42SE
Parish:	HORSEY, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK
	WINTERTON ON SEA, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

November 2005. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two coastal defence site is visible as a group of structures and buildings on aerial photographs (S1), (S2), (S3), (S4) and (S5), centred at TG 4809 2242. In 1940 (S1) and (S2), two barriers of barbed wire or similar material are visible on the beach, each of which encloses a small structure or building, possibly gun emplacements or similar installations. The northwestern structure (at TG 4808 2244) was rectangular in shape; the southeastern (at TG 4814 2236) may have been rectangular or polygonal (the angle of the photograph is too oblique for its form to be made out). A possible camouflaged structure at approximately TG 4809 2242 may be the probable Type 22 pillbox visible on aerial photographs taken later in the war (see below).

By 1945 (and more clearly visible in 1946) (S3) and (S4) the two barbed wire barriers had been removed and neither of the structures they enclosed is visible. A continuous line of beach scaffolding (NHER 42105) now ran behind the site. A rectangular structure to the northwest (at TG 4803 2248) could have been a military building or could be part of the sea wall. A Type 24 pillbox stood at TG 4806 2241; this, together with other elements of the site, survived as an extant building until at least the early 1950s (see (S5) for example). Approximately 20m to its east was a polygonal structure (mentioned above), probably a Type 22 pillbox.

There is no evidence on more recent aerial photographs (e.g. (S6)) that any element of the site remains in situ but it is possible that any surviving structures have been obscured by sand or vegetation.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 24 November 2005.

Monument Types

BARBED WIRE OBSTRUCTION (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
BEACH DEFENCE (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
GUN EMPLACEMENT? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
MILITARY BUILDING (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22)? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24) (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
PILLBOX (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)
PILLBOX? (World War Two - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>	Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 4822/2 (MSO 31022 26/BR14/15 4820) 19-SEP-1940.
<S2>	Oblique Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1940. NMR TG 4722/1 (MSO 31022 26/BR14/15 4821) 19-SEP-1940.
<S3>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1945. RAF 106G/UK/859 3118-9 29-SEP-1945 (NMR).
<S4>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1634 4110-1 09-JUL-1946 (NHER TG 4722B & TG 4822A).
<S5>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1952. RAF 540/690 5001-2 11-MAR-1952 (NMR).
<S6>	Vertical Aerial Photograph: Environment Agency. 2002. EA 041 AF/02C/339 7019-20 22-JUL-2002 (EA).