NHER 18110 (Monument record) - Two World War Two pillboxes

Defensive position?
'Two other (pill boxes) hidden in the (railway) embankment nearer Sheringham (than Weybourne)' according to (S1).
Manager at Sheringham Station told E. Rose (NAU) this referred to two pill boxes alongside each other on north side line just west of farm bridge by Dead Man's Hill, but he had not seen them himself. No sign of pill boxes by bridge, but by wood at grid reference is an earthen mound, perhaps covering a defensive position like others in this area.
Closer access could not be gained at this time.
E. Rose (NAU), 28 May 1982.

18 August 1983.
Closer access gained and revealed that the 'mound' is in fact a huge bramble bush.
It is possible that pill boxes might be hidden in the overgrown embankment in the wood, but I am beginning to suspect that the reporter misunderstood a reference to the two pill boxes that stand further north towards the cliff.
E. Rose (NAU), 23 August 1983.

In fact, on 11 May 1997, D. Gurney (NLA) noted in passing, but did not examine in detail. Two pill boxes, one just north of the bridge over the railway line and a second a few yards north of that. Both buried beneath the track, and with only parts visible in the sides of the banks. Probably quite well preserved. These are clearly those meant, being in the bank of the track, not the railway.
D. Gurney (NLA), 12 May 1997.

Quite rare pair of type 20 pillboxes in very unusual situation. Ingeniously camoflaged and buried in track north of farm bridge, 45m apart. Large concrete table for machine gun.
See (S2).
D. Walker (NLA), July 1996.

March 2002.
No change.
E. Rose (NLA), 2 April 2002.

April 2004, Norfolk NMP.
Centre of site altered from TG1328 4318 to TG 1327 4319.
A pair of rare type 20 pillboxes camouflaged and set into the trackway north of railway bridge, Upper Sheringham to the north of the North Norfolk Railway line. The projecting faces of these pillboxes are just visible on aerial photographs from 1955 (S3) dug into the western bank of the track. The site is centred on TG 1327 4319, this marks the point between the two pillboxes. This track leads from Oak Wood and the Weybourne Road. A number of defences were hidden in and around the edge of Oak Wood, including an Alan Williams turret (NHER 38264). A further pillbox is possible located to the west, to the immediate north of the railway (NHER 38612). All of features would have been related to the defence of the railway line and coastal approach.
According to the aerial photographs the southern pillbox is located at TG 1327 4317 and the northern example is at TG 1326 4321. These would appear to be 37m apart.
S. Massey (NMP) 1 April 2004.

December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area A30, Contexts 39 and 41:
Two World War Two brick and concrete pillboxes built into the western side of a railway bridge embankment. Both were only partly visible.
See assessment report (S4) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 6 December 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 July 2019.

March 2025. Walkover Survey.
Survey conducted by member of the public [1].
Pillbox to the north at grid reference TF 13268 43227 was found in good condition. The pillbox has a north-west facing embrasure for a Vicker's machine fun on the west side of the bridge embankment.
Pillbox to the south not spotted.
See (S5) for further details.
A. Henderson (HES), 18 March 2025.