NHER 42183 (Monument record) - World War Two military defences and installations on Winterton beach and dunes

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two military site comprising coastal defences and ancillary structures is visible as a group of buildings, structures and earthworks on 1940s and later aerial photographs (S1)-(S11), situated along the coast between TG 4803 2238 and TG 4854 2173. It formed part of a continuous line of defences stretching along the coastline, recorded, for example, as NHER 42182 to the northwest and NHER 42368 to the southeast. The division of these defences into discrete archaeological sites is consequently somewhat arbitrary; the site described here comprises those defences and ancillary installations visible between the Hundred Stream (to the north) and the track leading to the beach from the farm at Winterton Holmes. Given its proximity to both the contemporary bombing decoy (NHER 29752) less than 250m to its west and the post medieval duck decoy 755m to its south, this is probably the Forward Defended Locality (FDL) located in an area called 'Decoy' which is recorded by documentary sources (S12). It should be noted that many of the mapped features were not clearly visible on the rectified aerial photographs, and that rectification of the seaward side of the site was poor due to a lack of suitable control points. The location and plan of some elements, therefore, must be regarded as approximate.

The majority of the mapped structures and earthworks are only visible on aerial photographs taken in 1940 (S1)-(S3), suggesting that they were mainly temporary installations removed or levelled before the next available photographs (S4) were taken in 1944. The most clearly visible element of the site at this date was a minefield, the extent of which has been mapped by the NMP (from TG 4803 2238 to TG 4843 2175). Beyond the track from Winterton Holmes, the mined area continues to the southeast where it is recorded as part of NHER 42368. Craters left by the removal and/or detonation of mines are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken from 1944 onwards, e.g. (S7). At the southern end of the minefield, at the junction between the Winterton Holmes track and a track running more-or-less parallel to the coastline (at TG 4849 2175), a cluster of what may be small structures can just be made out. They include a possible pillbox or similar concrete structure at TG 4847 2177, but it should be noted that they could date to the pre-World War Two period and be of non-military origin. To the northwest, at TG 4842 2194, a length of slit trench is visible; its crenellated pattern and relatively overgrown appearance on the 1940 aerial photographs suggests that it could date to World War One; it was still visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs taken in 2002 (S11). A second slit trench to its east (at TG 4850 2195) appears to have been of World War Two date. A structure at TG 4846 2198 can be seen on later aerial photographs (e.g. (S8)-(S9)) to be a Type 22 pillbox. Between TG 4847 2193 and TG 4823 2224 various small structures are visible, lined along the seaward edge of the sand dunes, behind the sea wall. Most were probably temporary or insubstantial structures, and they include several probable tents (mapped as circular structures). Other elements include a possible concrete structure at TG 4830 2214 and a possible earthwork gun emplacement at TG 4836 2208. On the beach lengths of barbed wire or a similar obstruction are faintly visible, including three sides of a trapezoidal ‘compound’ at TG 4837 2212 which is comparable to arrangements of barbed wire evident elsewhere along this strip of coast (e.g. NHER 42130 280m northwest of the example described here).

By 1944 and on later aerial photographs (S4)-(S6) the obstructions on the beach had been replaced by a line of beach scaffolding (NHER 42132) that extended some distance to the north (where it is recorded as NHER 42105) and south of the site. Most of the small structures had been removed, although the Type 22 pillbox is still visible. Lines of barbed wire are visible between TG 4839 2198 and TG 4863 2178, and TG 4852 2181 and TG 4854 2173. A tank trap (NHER 32648) consisting of a line of eight concrete anti tank cubes had been erected across the track leading from Winterton Holmes farm. In addition, numerous tracks and areas of disturbed ground are visible but these have not been mapped by the NMP.

Much of the site appears to have been dismantled before or soon after the end of the war. Certain elements, such as the Type 22 pillbox, the possibly World War One slit trench, the tank trap (NHER 32648), and the craters left by the minefield are the most visible post-war survivals, although the pillbox may have now been lost to coastal erosion or have been buried by the surrounding dunes. It is possible that other elements of the site still remain but they have not been recognised on the consulted aerial photographs.
S. Tremlett (NMP), 24 January 2006.