NHER 42318 (Monument record) - A group of World War Two defences on Lowestoft Road, Gorleston-on-Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A group of World War Two defences and a possible air raid shelter is visible on aerial photographs on Lowestoft Road, Gorleston-on-Sea (S1)-(S2). The defences include a rectangular pillbox or gun emplacement, a spigot mortar emplacement, a possible covered military structure or air raid shelter and a barbed wire enclosure. Given the amount of defences around this cluster of houses and the close proximity to one of the two Gorleston Anti-Aircraft Batteries (NHER 32668) it is possible that this row of houses had been commandeered by the military. The site is centred on TG 5229 0277.

At TG 5234 0275 is a large rectangular structure, 5.5m by 4.5m, positioned in the middle to the Lowestoft Road opposite the Bridge Road junction, which leads to the Anti-Aircraft Battery. This is likely to have been a pillbox or similar gun emplacement. This has been removed by August 1945 (S2). Located in the hedgerow next to this structure is a spigot mortar emplacement. The central spigot is clearly visible within a circular pit, surrounded by a broad circular embankment. A slit trench is located to the rear to the houses at TG 5228 0276, now the garden of 215 Brasenose Avenue. The trench is cut into a wide eliptical mound, measuring 18m by 6.5m. It is possible, given the size of the mound, that this is some sort of covered structure or air raid shelter. The whole area of the defences and the houses has been enclosed by barbed wire, running from TG 5232 0270 to TG 5221 0275 and then to TG 5230 0285.
S. Massey (NMP), 30 January 2006.