NHER 38891 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two coastal defence site

October 2004. Norfolk NMP.
A small coastal defence site is visible as earthworks and standing structures on aerial photographs (S1-3), principally centred around TG 2729 3940. The site was established by 1940 and is visible on oblique aerial photographs from that year (S1). It was perhaps deliberately sited to make use of the Watch House and the pre-existing access track (White Gate Lane) (S4) as well as occupying a coastal position.

The earliest features were those which lay on the seaward side of the site, in an arc from TG 2737 3938 to TG 2726 3941. They comprised a line of four gun emplacements almost entirely covered by earth but with embrasures facing out to sea. To the west of these were two structures, probably further gun emplacements (they are barely visible on the aerial photographs) and at least two segments of slit trench, one of which cut across the access track. Further to the west, hidden within woodland, the roofline of a building or structure can just be made out. Tracks or trenches and further possible structures or emplacements may be visible dug into the cliff face but are not clear enough to warrant mapping.

By June 1942 (S2) the cliff edge seems to have suffered some erosion, a process which may already have destroyed some elements of the site. In addition a hexagonal pillbox, probably a Type 22, had been constructed (at TG 2729 3940) and a new segment of embanked slit trench excavated a short distance to its east. By June 1946 (S3) every element of the site described above, other than the embanked slit trench, seems to have eroded away or been removed. A number of pits (the two largest have been mapped) and a short segment of slit trench had been excavated to the west and south.
(S1-4)
S. Tremlett (NMP), 20 October 2004.