NHER 51902 (Monument record) - Possible World War Two practice trenches associated with Mousehold heavy anti aircraft battery

November 2008. Norfolk NMP.
Three possible World War Two trenches, visible on aerial photographs (S1)-(S2), located approximately 300m to the south of the area enclosed as the heavy anti-aircraft battery (NHER12415), probably relate to World War Two training in the area.

Two straight linear ditches were visible as large (up to approximately 65m in length) open features aligned roughly east west at TG 2533 1002. 60m to the north, a zig-zag trench was visible on the earlier photographs (S1), running roughly north east-south west from TG 2529 1010 to TG 2528 1008.

The site may have performed some military training function, as several zig-zag practice trenches are visible within the barbed wire boundary fence to the northeast, centred around TG 2555 1062 (S3).

These features may also be associated with activity at the prisoner of war camp (NHER 51904) situated approximately 200m to the northwest, surrounding which there are extensive areas of slit trench excavation.

However, the northern-most of these two features is directly on the line of the old parish boundary between Sprowston and Thorpe St Andrew (S4), and also the course of a medieval road, Ranworth Way, shown on a map of 1585 (NHER 8166). The fact that these features appear to be visible as earthworks on the aerial photographs (S1)-(S2), in an area that was clearly used for training during World War Two though, would suggest that they date to the wartime period.
A further slit trench (NHER 52099) is visible approximately 170m to the south, and may also be related to military training on the site.
E. Bales (NMP), 7 November 2008.