NHER 24183 (Structure record) - World War Two Allan Williams Turret

November 1987. Visit.
Cupola, World War Two. Iron dome with offcentre port in one side; lifting ring on top. Gun mounting inside. Revolves on three iron wheels on iron circular lower section, containing seat; iron lined tunnel from exterior.
E. Rose (NAU), 21 November 1987.

May 1994. No change.
E. Rose (NLA), 29 May 1994.

See (S1) in file, which adds: Very rare Allan Williams Turret, designed to mount Lewis gun in either anti aircraft or ground role. Date 1940. Survey No. D1-3. In very good condition.
D. Walker (NLA) July 1996.

March 2003. Norfolk NMP.
World War Two pillbox just visible on Ordance Survey aerial photographs from 1994 (S2).
H. Clare (NMP), 7 April 2003.

December 2003. Visit.
No change, except full of rubbish.
E. Rose (NLA), 8 December 2003.

May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 11), Context 889:
The Allan Williams turret was made from two steel sections. The lower was cylindrical with an entrance and was partly embedded in the modern sea bank. The upper was dome shaped.
See assessment report (S3) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 20 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.

March 2025. Walkover Survey.
Survey undertaken by members of the public [1].
Allan Williams turret observed during the survey. Some decay was noted; the turret ring on the south extent had collapsed. See (S4) for further details.
A. Henderson (HES), 18 March 2025.