NHER 42526 (Monument record) - World War Two defensive structures near Masons Farm

SITE WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED UNDER NHER 11788 (context 18).

October 1995. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey No. RDS-59. 350m east of Toll House Farm.
Very unusual large World War Two pillbox with blast wall at entrance.
See record form (S1) in file.
J. Allen (NLA), 8 August 2006.

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two defensive structures are visible on aerial photographs and on the ground. These are located within a field boundary to the east of Lowestoft Road, Hopton-on-Sea (S2-S4). The site is centred on TG 5247 0154 and consists of a type 22 pillbox, several spigot mortar emplacements and a slit trench system. The pillbox 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.

The Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey records this remaining structure as a type 24 pillbox (S1), however the aerial photographs clearly show this as a type 22 (S4). This is located at TG 5251 0155 and has a blast wall protected entrance. This is located next to an angular group of slit trenches and weapons pit, which are surrounded by a wide curvilinear bank of upcast. Two possible spigot mortar emplacements are located along same field boundary to the west; at TG 5244 0153 and TG 5242 0153. An additional concrete structure is located on the trackway at the end of the field boundary, the function of which is unknown. This measures 1m by 0.75m. In May 1944 a line of barbed wire encloses all of these defences to the south (S2). This and the other barbed wire obstruction in this area have been recorded under NHER 42662.
S. Massey (NMP), 15 February 2006.