NHER 42349 (Monument record) - A World War Two air raid shelter on Gorleston Cliffs, between Marine Parade and the Upper Esplanade, Gorleston on Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two air raid shelter is visible on aerial photographs on Gorleston Cliffs, between Marine Parade and the Upper Esplanade (S1)-(S4). This was constructed by September 1940 (S1) and is quite large and would probably have been a communal civilian shelter, although it would also probably have been used by the troops manning the defences along this section of cliffs, see NHER 42350 for details of defences. Another probable air raid shelter is located on the cliffs 80m to the north (NHER 42466). The shelter is centred on TG 5289 0329 and consists of a sub-surface shelter reached by two sets of stairs or ramps, one either side of a covering earthen mound. The mound is roughly oblong in shape and measures 26m by 22m. Four square air vents or hatches are visible on the top of the mound. A narrow rectangular concrete structure projects from the northeastern corner of the mound, this may have been an entrance/exit. Although it may be related to the pillbox located immediately next to it on the Esplanade (NHER 42467), however the fact that the shelter mound goes around the structure would imply they were of the same build and the pillbox is a post-1941 addition.
S. Massey (NMP), 26 January 2006.