NHER 42478 (Monument) - World War Two air raid shelters, Marine Parade, Gorleston-on-Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A pair of World War Two air raid shelters is visible on aerial photographs within the rear garden of 68 Marine Parade, Gorleston-on-Sea (S1). Two oval earthen mounds are visible and these probably cover Anderson shelters, which would have used by the families living within this cluster of houses on Marine Parade. An additional air raid shelter may also be located with the garden of number 69, see NHER 42474 for details. These houses possibly get commandeered later in the war and become part of a radio site (NHER 42474), it is possible that the shelters get used by the military during this period, although seem to have been removed quite early in the war. The site is centred on TG 5296 0224.

These shelters are visible in February 1941 as two oval mounds, measuring 2.5m by 1.5m, which are surrounded by wider spreads of material, giving the earthworks a larger overall appearance (S1). To the immediate east of these shelters is a sub-rectangular cut feature. It seems likely that this excavated area is the source of the additional material covering the shelters. By July 1944 no definite sign of the shelters can be identified on the aerial photographs and the site shows evidence of the recent activity, possibly the demolition of the shelters (S2). This seems quite early for such a removal and it may be linked to the military use of this area of Marine Parade. By August 1945 the yard as looks like it has been concreted over and a sub-rectangular sunken feature has been cut into the former location of the Anderson shelters (S3). It is possible that these alterations are related to the establishment of a military radio site within the grounds of number 69 Marine Parade. However this structure is still visible in 1952 (S4) and therefore it is also possible that this is a domestic structure.
S. Massey (NMP), 30 January 2006.