NHER 68088 (Monument record) - Site of a Second World War military camp at Lexham Hall

March 2024. Wendling Beck and Fransham Aerial Investigation and Mapping (AIM) Project.
A series of huts, structures, roads and a possible water tower associated with a Second World War military camp at Lexham hall (NHER 4089) are visible on aerial photographs (S1-S4). The features most likely relate to a series of accommodation huts and support structures. A number of smaller structures can be seen across the area (such as at TF 8656 1743, TF 8666 1722 and TF 8658 1726). The function of these features is uncertain but most likely relate to the military camp. It is possible that some of the mapped features thought to relate to military activity could have related to civilian activity at Lexham Hall. Equally some of the structures dismissed as relating to civilian use may have related to the military camp. The majority of the features appear to be removed after 1946 and are not visible on aerial photographs taken in 1971 (S4).The earthworks of a bank are also visible on the aerial photographs (S1-S4) (centred at approximately TF 8657 1719). The function of the bank is uncertain but may relate to the military activity. The feature is non longer visible by 1971 (S4). Earthworks relating to the site of some of the huts (such as at approximately TF 8654 1729) are visible on visualised lidar data from a survey flown in 2017 (S5). As the lidar survey was flow relatively recently (2017) it is likely that the features still survive as earthworks. It has been previously suggested that Lexham Hall was occupied by the Royal Army Service Corps from 1939 to 1945 (see NHER 4089)
J. Powell (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 11 March 2024.