NHER 16972 (Monument record) - World War Two pillbox with anti-aircraft machine gun mounting

Pillbox. First located by Pillbox Survey.
Seen only in distance by E. Rose (NAU) as access could not be obtained; apparent location.
E. Rose (NAU), 14 January 1981.

See record form (S1) in file by [1], who adds: Very rare type 27/6/X pillbox designed for ground and anti-aircraft defence. Circular central well where a light machine gun was mounted. Date 1940. Only two surviving in Norfolk.
D. Walker (NLA) August 1996.

September 2004. Norfolk NMP.
Extant World War Two type 27 pillbox is visible on aerial photographs ((S2) to (S5)). The grid reference for this pillbox has been changed from TG 3742 3146 to TG 3744 3150. Aerial photographs dating to July and August 1941 clearly show the circular central well in this pillbox for the light anti-aircraft gun mounting ((S2) to (S3)). At that date a barrier extended across the road and a small structure was present on the opposite side to the pillbox (S2). It is likely that this was a sentry box and road block at the entrance to the gun battery site (NHER 18472). The pillbox is a hexagonal type 27, rather than the usual octagonal form. A further two hexagonal type 27 pillboxes were originally present around the gun battery site. These and surrounding barbed wire defences are recorded as part of NHER 18472.
J. Albone (NMP), 9 September 2004.

December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area 54, Context 25:
The pillbox was monitored. It is located in the northern part of a garden.
See assessment report (S6) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
D. Robertson (NLA), 17 February 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 July 2019.