NHER 38783 (Monument record) - World War Two pillbox and site of possible military camp

September 2004. Norfolk NMP.
An extant World War Two pillbox and other defences, including barbed wire obstructions, weapons pits, and gun emplacements, around a possible military camp are visible on aerial photographs ((S1) to (S7)). The defences are centred around TG 3578 3280. A hexagonal concrete pillbox, probably a type 22, is located at TG 35815 32860. This pillbox was not present on aerial photographs dating to August 1940 (S6) but had been constructed by July 1941 ((S1) to (S2)). Oblique aerial photographs dating to August 1941 show that it was camouflaged as a small building with a pitched roof (S3). This pillbox has not previously been recorded, but was still extant on aerial photographs dating to July 2002 (S7).

Barbed wire defences were present to the south of this pillbox in 1941.These defended the southwest approach to the pillbox between TG 35765 32865 and TG 35830 32825 with the second line continuing northeastwards to TG 35865 32835. This barbed wire had been removed by 1943. A weapons pit and slit trench are present to the northwest and north of the pillbox in July 1941 ((S1) to (S3)). Further to the south in 1941 a curving line of barbed wire was located between TG 35840 32770 and TG 35980 32730 ((S1) to (S2)). This was incorporated into a more extensive network of barbed wire defences by 1943. Also present in 1941 was a complex group of slit trenches to the east of Coast Road at TG 36025 32735 ((S1) to (S2)).

By January 1943 an extensive area of barbed wire defences was present around the fields to the south and west of the pillbox (S4). In the west a rectangular area measuring 160m by 40m was centred around TG 3564 3288 with a further line of barbed wire extending westwards from the northwest corner. The fields immediately south and southeast of the pillbox, centred on TG 3574 3276 and TG 3592 3266, also had barbed wire around their perimeters. A possible spigot mortar emplacement was present on the western edge of these fields at TG 35655 32810 with a second located 16m further to the south (S5). It is possible that this was the original location of the two spigot mortar bases recovered from the pond close to Coast Road (NHER 33718). A gun emplacement with a circular outer bank was located on the eastern side of the barbed wire defences at TG 35985 32690 in 1943 (S4). Although no evidence of any internal features were visible on the aerial photographs, it is possible that the areas enclosed by the barbed wire defences in 1943 had previously been occupied by a temporary military camp.
J. Albone (NMP), 7 September 2004.

September 2004.
Pillbox as noted above visited. Hexagonal, exterior concrete, interior brick with intact Y-wall. Stepped gun loops. Top now flat, of gravely concrete (unlike sides) no trace of superstructure. Door is on northeast side. Now used as tyre dump on waste ground in chalet park.
E. Rose (NLA), 1 October 2004.