NHER 38909 (Monument record) - World War two trenches and gun emplacement

October 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two gun emplacement and the cropmarks of slit trenches are visible in 1940 and 1 within the centre of an arable field to the west of Shipden Avenue, Cromer (S1 and S2). The site is centred on TG 2097 4228 and is located to the immediate north of an area of World War Two defences and military training features on Howards Hill (NHER 38910), which includes a variety of slit trenches, barbed wire obstructions and several pillboxes (NHER 31542 and 32574 to 5).

At TG 2096 4228 is a circular roofless structure, 3.5m in diameter, which is located within the centre of an arable field. This is reached from the eastern field boundary by either a ditch or a path cut through the growing crop or potentially both. This emplacement has been located on the top of an oval mound of slightly higher ground, not picked out by contours, but clearly visible on the vertical aerial photographs (S2). The vertical aerial photographs obviously exaggerate the height of the mound, however a slight rise is visible on an oblique aerial photograph from 1941 (S3). This emplacement has been constructed by October 1940 (S1), although no other features are visible at this time. By August 1941 cropmarks of a series of zigzag slit trenches are visible encircling this higher ground (S1). It is possible that these trenches were dug inbetween October 1940 and when the field was planted in 1941, although they could equally be pre October 1940. The central gun emplacement appears to have been removed by June 1946 (S4), although the ditch running to the site is still visible. Also visible in 1946 is a row of six small structures or light coloured marks in the field, running north to south. It is possible that these are also post 1941 military features, although they were not mapped as they could equally be agricultural in origin.
S. Massey (NMP), 25 October 2004.