NHER 38510 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two barbed wire obstruction

March 2004. Norfolk NMP
The site consists of several sections of World War Two barbed wire obstruction along the cliff top at Sidestrand, which are visible on RAF aerial photographs from 1942-6 (S1-3). The site is centred on TG 2625 3991. A group of gun emplacements are also situated within this defended area to the north of Sidestrand Hall (NHER 38973). A further possible defensive structure is located at the western end of the barbed wire (NHER 38972).

The barbed wire forms a broken line of individual sections from TG 2572 4028 to TG 2671 3963. The earliest aerial photographs where this defence is visible are from 1942 (S1). Sections of this barrier of still visible in 1953 (S4). This barbed wire barrier appears to run across the top of the cliff edge, which would seem an unlikely position for such a defence, as there is no obvious approach from the beach below that it is defending. However this area of the cliffs was being used for military training and defence, as evidenced by the nearby groups of practice trenches (NHER 38971, 38975) and coastal gun emplacements (NHER 38972-3). It is also possible that Sidestrand Hall was being used by military troops, although there is no definite evidence of this visible on the aerial photographs.

The fact that sections of this barrier are still visible as late as 1953, may suggest that the barrier has been retained to a certain extent, blocking off the edge of a rapidly eroding cliff.
S. Massey (NMP), 17 March 2004.