NHER 19367 (Building record) - Creefer's Hill Royal Observer Corps site

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Summary

This Royal Observer Corps building was originally located at Litcham where it observed plane movements from 1934 to November 1953. It was then moved to Beetley (although the site was known as Gressenhall) and became part of the the network of sites used during the Cold War. In the event of nuclear attack these would monitor fallout. The underground room was built in 1959 and is all that remains of the site. It went out of use in 1992, and has since been surrounded by a landfill site, the internal fittings removed, and the structure filled with sand to protect the underground room and make it safe. It is one of only fourteen nuclear monitoring sites in Norfolk.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TF91NE
Civil Parish BEETLEY, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK

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Royal Observer Corps post.
Underground, no surface buildings except ventilators.
Presumably World War Two, maintained in working order.
E. Rose (NAU), 29 July 1983.

However the underground type date from after 1953.
E. Rose (NAU), 23 February 1993.

14 July 1999. Visit.
Proposed for demolition.
See details in file.
E. Rose (NAU)

The Post was founded at Litcham in 1934 and moved to this location, although known as Gressenhall, in 1953.
The underground rooms were dug out in 1959.
Information from (S2).

See (S1) which states it was known as Gressenhall Post.
E. Rose (NLA), July 2000.

2001.
(S3) identifies this as a site of national importance, and it is to be listed or scheduled.
D. Gurney (NLA), 27 December 2001.

2002.
Royal Observer Corps post to be filled with sand.
D. Gurney (NLA), 5 March 2002.

March 2008. Norfolk Aggregates Assessment Project.
The internal fixtures and fittings of this ROC post were removed before it was filled with sand. John Schofield (English Heritage) suggested that the previous assessment of the site as of national importance is no longer justified. (Information from D. Gurney, NLA.)
S. Tremlett (NLA), 7 March 2008.

  • --- Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Article in Serial: Catford, N.. 1999. ROC Underground Posts in Norfolk.. NIAS Journal. Vol 6, No 4. pp 59ff.
  • <S2> Unpublished Document: Allard, R. (Royal Observer Corps Museum). 1999. Correspondence. 19th July.
  • <S3> Monograph: Cocroft, W.. 2001. Cold War Monuments: An Assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme..

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Record last edited

Jan 31 2011 2:37PM

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