NHER 38900 (Monument record) - World War Two defences

October 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A strip of World War Two beach defences, such as scaffolding and associated structures, is visible on aerial photographs along the coast inbetween Runton and Cromer from 1941 to 1946 (S1 to S4). It is possible that one of these half buried structures relates to a former pillbox or coastal gun emplacement. The site is centred on TG 2079 4259. These coastal defences sit within a much larger spread of World War Two defences and military sites, which provided coastal protection and training areas along the cliff tops and beach between Cromer and Runton, such as NHER 24399, 38529, 38883, 38899.

The beach scaffolding runs from TG 2063 4263 to TG 2099 4254 and is constructed inbetween the 7th August 1941 (S1) and 28th August 1941 (S2 and S3). Sections of this beach scaffolding are still visible in June 1946 (S4). On the 7th August vertical aerial photographs a series of parallel linear features, perpendicular to the cliff, are visible at TG 2072 4260. These range in length from 1m to 7m. The purpose of these of unknown, although it is possible that they signify the first stages of scaffolding construction.

At the western end of the scaffolding in 1946 (S4) two further components are visible on the beach. This includes a half-buried structure at TG 2062 4264, with a polygonal appearance and measuring up to 4m across. This may represent a gun emplacement or pillbox that has eroded out from the cliff, see NHER 24399 for a similar displacement. To the immediate south of this is an irregular shaped linear feature, which is likely to represent a remnant of a barbed wire obstruction or similar beach defence.
S. Massey (NMP) 21 October 2004.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 15), Context 345:
Two sections of metal scaffolding were embedded within beach sand at TG 20704 42624. They probably came from World War Two beach defences.
See assessment report (S5) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA) 25 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.