NHER 53397 (Monument record) - Two World War Two defences/spigot mortar emplacements related to Snetterton Airfield

February 2010. Norfolk NMP.
Two World War Two defences/spigot mortar emplacements to the east of Snetterton Airfield (NHER 9068) are visible on aerial photographs (S1) as open earthworks.
They are centred on TM 0101 9079 and TM 0107 9077. Each defence consists of a pit feature measuring up to 9m by 7m in diameter which presumably would have contained a concrete ‘thimble’ and ammunition lockers to each side. The upcast spoil forms a bank around each of the pits, up to 5.2m in width in some places.
Snetterton airfield was clearly quite heavily defended during World War Two, with further possible spigot mortar defences visible to the north (NHER 53398) and west of the airfield (NHER 53396), and two Light Anti Aircraft batteries (NHER 53399) and a gun emplacement (NHER 29961) also recorded here.
E. Bales (NMP), 10 February 2010.

July 2012. Norfolk NMP.
Three further World War Two defences/spigot mortar emplacements are visible on aerial photographs as open earthworks approximately 400m to the south of those described above.
They are centred on TM 0141 8977 and TM 0184 8972 and have been recorded under NHER 67377.
E. Bales (NMP), 2 July 2012.

October 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of proposed development site.
An extensive area of magnetic disturbance was identified in the northern part of the field that was possibly associated with either the construction of the A11 or the deconstruction of the old London Road. A rectangular area of reduced noise in this part of the site would appear to correspond with the position of the eastern spigot mortar emplacement, although this could be coincidental.
See report (S2) and NHER 65055 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 1 June 2021.