NHER 38579 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two coastal defences

April 2004, Norfolk NMP
An area of World War Two coastal defences protecting a gap in the cliffs at Weybourne, is visible on aerial photographs (S1-3). The site consisted of beach scaffolding, a pillbox, slit trenches and barbed wire and a minefield. The site is centred on TG 1238 4358. The site forms part of a complex area of coastal defences and military training site along the coast at Weybourne, to the east are further military training site and coastal defences, NHER 38577-8, 32505 and 19440. These sites are all associated with the Anti-Aircraft Training Camp at Weybourne to the west (NHER 11335).
Defences within this area are first visible on aerial photographs in December 1940 (S1), with a zigzag section of slit trench being constructed running from TG 1232 4359 to TG 1233 4356. To the north of this is a curvilinear stretch of quite broad ditch running alongside the gap in the cliff. This ditch appears to be up to 7.5m wide. It is possible that it is a less extensive stretch of anti-tank ditch, similar to the larger example to the east (NHER 32505). A stretch of barbed wire is also visible to the south of field boundary, running towards the firing range (NHER 38578).
By July 1941 (S2) a much more extensive area of defences has been created. Along the shore itself a line of beach scaffolding has been erected, within the centre of which a hexagonal pillbox is visible at TG 1234 4364. Also erected is a complex network of barbed wire, which encloses several areas of the site, including a rectangular section to the south of the firing range (NHER 38578). Two further narrow slit trenches has been dug, centred on TG 1235 4361. In 1946 this area has been further defended by a three-sided enclosure created from scaffolding, 100m by 60m (S3). Although there is no visible sign of it on the aerial photographs, this site is known to be the location of a minefield. Information and associated military records provided by [1]. The area within the scaffolding contained two minefields, No.14A to the north of the dividing barbed wire and No. 42, both referred to as Dead Man’s Gap. Both of these minefields were cleared in January 1945.
S. Massey (NMP) 1 April 2004.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Potentially related material found during the Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 13) recorded under NHER 41573.
See assessment report (S4) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 13 April 2005.