NHER 38614 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two coastal defences and military training sites

April 2004, Norfolk NMP
An area of World War Two coastal defences and military training sites are visible along the coast at Upper Sheringham on aerial photographs (S1-3). The site is centred on TG 1323 4350 and consists of a bank and possible gun emplacement and a stretch of barbed wire and a ditch or trench. The site also gets used for possible target training purposes towards the end of the war. These features incorporate the remains of a World War One firing butt (NHER 38617). These structures form part of an area of coastal defences at Weybourne (NHER 38577 to 38579, 32505, 38615) and training sites associated with Weybourne Camp to the west (NHER 11335).
In 1940 (S1) a bank can be seen to run from TG 1299 4357 to TG 1314 4356 and then it continues in a fragmentary form until TG 1324 4355. This bank is 3 to 4m wide. Set within the bank at TG 1312 4356 is a circular platform, approximately 12m across. It is possible that this formed some sort of gun emplacement or similar defensive position. This bank appears to get lost to coastal erosion soon after the war. Running from the eastern end of the bank is a track, this feature is quite indented and therefore must have been in constant or repetitive use. This track diverts around the World War One rifle butt and then continues east towards a section of ditch at TG 1360 4351 and another set of coastal defences (NHER 38615). A further indented track runs to this same location from the northern end of the rifle butt. These well-used tracks would imply that this area was used for some sort of training activity. By mid 1941 (S2) a section of barbed wire has been placed in front of the World War One firing butt. In 1946 (S3) the area appears to have been used for some sort of target training. Two loops of vehicle tracks are clearly visible, centred on TG 1299 4349 and TG 1332 4352. Linking these loops together is an incised narrow linear feature, which could relate to a track for a moving target or a similar training site.
S. Massey (NMP) 28 April 2004.

December 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Land-based survey; Area A30, Context 80:
An east-to-west aligned bank located on the cliff to between TG 13095 43570 and TG 13232 43552. Up to 5m wide and 1m tall, parts of it have disappeared in cliff falls.
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), 21 July 2019.