NHER 51917 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two possible pillbox/ heavy machine gun emplacement

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Summary

A rectangular World War Two possible pillbox and/or heavy machine gun emplacement is visible as an extant structure on aerial photographs, to the south of Salhouse Road.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TG21SE
Civil Parish	SPROWSTON, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

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Full Description

November 2008. Norfolk NMP.
A rectangular World War Two possible heavy machine gun emplacement and/or pillbox is visible as an extant structure on aerial photographs (S1)-(S3), at TG 2718 1155. The rectangular building is described in (S4) as a Type 20 variant, and in the Defence of Britain database (S5) and publication (S6) as a Vickers Machine Gun Emplacement. It measures approximately 5.5 by 6m, and has a blast wall or traverse protecting the entrance on its northwest side. It is similar to another such structure recorded as NHER 51896.

Approximately 200m to the north, a runway indicator, and possible bombing decoy site was visible for Rackheath airfield (NHER 51916). More recent aerial photographs (S7) illustrate that the pillbox has since been destroyed.
E. Bales (NMP), 5 November 2008.

September 2020. Watching Brief.
Maintained during installation of new water pipeline adjacent to Salhouse Road.
Although the line of the pipeline appears to have coincided with the site of this structure no associated remains were encountered.
See report (S8) and NHER 65143 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 7 July 2023.

Associated Sources (8)

<S1> SNF71152 Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/2050 5037-8 06-MAY-1947 (NMR).
<S2> SNF71158 Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1951. RAF 58/700 (Vp1) 5102-3 31-MAY-1951 (NMR).
<S3> SNF71159 Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1965. RAF 58/6995 0013-4 27-AUG-1965 (NMR).
<S4> SNF65427 Unpublished Document: Kent, P.. 1994. Norfolk Defensive Structures Survey record form.
<S5> SNF65691 Website: Council for British Archaeology. 2002-2006. Defence of Britain database. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/dob/index.cfm. 31 December 2024.
<S6> SNF53541 Monograph: Brown, I. & Lowry, B. (eds.). 1996. 20th century defences in Britain: an introductory guide..
<S7> SNF71040 Vertical Aerial Photograph: BKS. 1988. BKS 9856 06-AUG-1988 (NCC 1434).
<S8> SNF102309 Unpublished Contractor Report: Kwiatkowska, M. 2021. Land south-east of Salhouse Road, Salhouse Road Growth Scheme, Rackheath. Archaeological Monitoring Report. Oxford Archaeology East. 2464.