NHER 38905 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two pillbox

October 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A possible World War Two pillbox may have been visible half-buried on the beach near the Beach Road gap, Runton. This polygonal structure was only visible on aerial photographs from 1955. Other pillboxes once located within the Runton to Cromer cliffs have eroded out to similar positions (NHER 24399). However no corresponding pillbox can be located on earlier aerial photographs. The Beach Road gap was extremely heavily defended and barricaded during World War Two, with several lines of scaffolding, barbed wire and anti-tank blocks (NHER 38528) The surrounding cliff tops were also covered in slit trench systems, gun emplacements, pillboxes and military structures. Therefore it is entirely possible that a pillbox was concealed with the cliff, which has since been eroded out.

The structure is located at TG 2012 4284 and appears to be hexagonal and 5m across. This would be consistent with World War Two type 22 pillbox.

To the immediate east of this visible in 1967 is a possible fragmentary structure. It is possible that this is fragments of the structure or pillbox visible in 1955, now broken up by the action of the sea. However it is quite angular and cannot be clearly seen on the aerial photographs (S2). It is possible that this ‘feature’ was a boat trailer or a similar vessel relating to the fishing industry. It was therefore not mapped.
(S1-2)
S. Massey (NMP) 21 October 2004.