NHER 27389 (Monument record) - World War Two defences on Hemsby beach and dunes

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A rather dispersed group of World War Two coastal defences is visible as extant structures, buildings and earthworks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S6), centred at TG 5087 1696. The northernmost element of the site, an unidentified structure visible at TG 5084 1709, was in place by August 1940 (S1)-(S2). It had been removed by May 1944 (S7). To the south, at TG 5086 1696, was a flat-roofed polygonal building, probably a pillbox. It is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S1)-(S4), and had probably been removed by 1944 (S7). Approximately 16m to its southeast, at TG 5087 1694, was a second polygonal pillbox. Clearly visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946 (S6), this may have been camouflaged as a hut during the war, as the structure visible here on earlier photos had a pitched roof. The two pillboxes flanked a narrow gap in the dunes; one or other of them may correspond with a Type 22 pillbox recorded at this approximate location (TG 5094 1692) in a gazetteer of World War Two sites (S8). The southernmost element of the site, visible at TG 5092 1687, was probably a slit trench but could have been a semi-sunken, buried structure, such as a gun emplacement. It too is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S1)-(S4). No trace of the defences is visible on recent aerial photographs of the area (S9) and they have probably been levelled, buried or demolished.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 3 February 2006.