NHER 42529 (Monument record) - World War Two defensive structures near Lowestoft Road

SITE WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 11788 (context 21).

1995. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey No. RDS-75. In same hedgerow or bank 100m west of NHER 42528.
World War Two spigot mortar.
See record form (S1) in file.
J. Allen (NLA), 8 August 2006.

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two defensive structures, which are visible on aerial photographs and on the ground, are located within a field boundary to the east of Lowestoft Road, Hopton-on-Sea (S2). The site is centred on TG 5222 0110 and consists of a type 22 pillbox, several spigot mortar emplacements and a slit trench system. One of these spigot mortar emplacements still survives and has been recorded as part of the Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey (S1). These defences form part of a much wider network of defences, which consists of a long distance anti-tank ditch, barbed wire obstruction, roadblocks, pillboxes and gun emplacements, see NHER 42262 for details. Some of these structures survive and have been recorded by the Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey, see NHER 42522- 42530.


At TG 5218 0111 is a type 22 pillbox alongside Lowestoft Road (S2). The plan of this pillbox varies from hexagonal to square, this is likely to be due to the structure being camouflaged at various points during World War Two. A spigot mortar emplacement is located 30m to the south. Both of these defensive structures are incorporated into a slit trench system, which follows the field boundary to the east, several other gun emplacements and weapons pits have been cut into the boundary, including a second spigot mortar emplacement at TG 5228 0111 (S2). This spigot still survives and has been recorded by the Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey (S1). A further spigot mortar base is also recorded 100m to the east at TG 525 012 by the Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey, but this was not visible on the aerial photographs, presumably due to camouflage or vegetation cover, see NHER 42528.
S. Massey (NMP), 15 February 2006.