NHER 42286 (Monument) - World War Two air raid shelters and bomb damage near Cross Road and John Road, Gorleston on Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two air raid shelters and two areas of recent bomb damage are visible on aerial photographs within the area of the Cross Road and John Road, Gorleston (S1) and (S2). The site is centred on TG 5257 0448, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground. These shelters are visible as earthen covered mounds, probably Anderson shelters, and these would have been for the use of the families living in the properties, although one slightly larger shelter may have been for communal use.

Two areas of bomb damage are visible on the aerial photographs either side of Cross Road. The northern area covers numbers 13 and 14, on the southern side the bomb damage covers properties 3 to 6.

Six of the air raid shelters were small and approximately 2 to 3m by 1.5 to 2m. These were located in the rear gardens of 71 and 72 Church Road, 18 John Road, 1and 2 Palmer Road, and at TG 5263 0445. At TG 5262 0447, in a builder yard to the rear of 154 High Street, is a possible larger shelter. This is visible as a irregularly shaped mound of material, which does not have the same colour and texture as other covered air raid shelters, also in contrast to other larger shelters, no obvious entrance is visible. However it does appear to have to square features projecting from the top, which is a common characteristic of the larger shelters, which had vents or hatches built into them (S1). At TG 5258 0455, 49 John Road, next to the Nursing home, a square concrete structure is visible with an earthen surround. It is probable that this is another air raid shelter.
S. Massey (NMP), 04 January 2006.