NHER 42327 (Monument record) - World War Two air raid shelters on Springfield Road, Gorleston on Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two air raid shelters is visible on aerial photographs within the back gardens on Springfield Road, Gorleston (S1( to (S2). These air raid shelters range from small earth covered Anderson shelters, to larger, possibly communal shelters. The site is centred on TG 5278 0350, although this point does not correspond to an archaeological feature on the ground.

Three of the shelters, located within the gardens of numbers 21, 88 and 98, consist of small oblong earthen mounds, measuring approximately 2.5m by 2m, and are probably all Anderson shelters. In 1944 a low mound is visible within the garden of number 23, measuring 5m by 4m, it seems likely that this is also air raid shelter (S1). In the garden of number 19 is the most substantial and obvious of all the shelters (S2), which consists of a large oblong mound, measuring 8m by 5.5m, at the front of which is a concrete façade and entrance. The size and construction of this shelter would suggest that it is a communal shelter. Two further possible shelters were identified within numbers 97 and 101. One of these (number 97) consists of a long elongated mound, which would appear to be made up of several conjoined structures, which are either covered or camouflaged, with a square hole or vent or the front end. The other (number 101) consists of an oblong earth covered shelter or structure, which appears to be conjoined to a rectangular structure, which continues the length of the garden, with a further earth covered feature at the rear. It is possible that only the front earth covered structure was utilised as a shelter, however the associated structures appear strange for usual domestic garden buildings.
S. Massey (NMP), 20 January 2006.