NHER 26646 (Monument record) - Undated sea defences

June 2001. Norfolk NMP.
Sea defences in the form of three linear earthwork banks are visible on BKS photography from 1988 (S1), as well as RAF 1946 images (S2) and NLA aerial photographs from 1990 (S3). They form a part of a series/network of sea defences/land reclamation in this area (see also NHER 26638, 26641, 26642, 26643 & 26644). They range from 280m to 450m in length. These banks follow the line of the coast, mainly just behind the beach, though one is roughly parallel to the others and slightly further in land (around 30m to the east). This bank is in line with and appears to be a continuation of one of the sea banks of NHER 26643; it runs from NGR TF6478 3079 to TF6478 3052. The other banks seem to continue on from the most western bank of NHER 26643, although they are a much larger construction. The longest of these runs from NGR TF6473 3093 to TF6477 3050. The shorter one is joined to the longer at its northern most point - near NGR TF6478 3092, it then curves away from it slightly and then back again, rejoining the longer bank near NGR TF6474 3064, to form a slight, elongated 'loop'.
The banks are not marked on the Ordnance Survey 1:10000 basemap (S6), and none are apparent on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map (S5). However there does appear to be some form of embankment on Faden’s map (S4) running along the length of this stretch of coast, though whether that is just the dunes or an actual bank is not clear.
The origin and date of these banks are unknown.
H. Clare (NMP), 29 June 2001.