NHER 42350 (Monument record) - World War Two coastal defences along the cliff top, Gorleston on Sea

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A large strip of World War Two coastal defences is visible on aerial photographs along Gorleston cliff tops and Esplanades (S1)-(S6). These include a spigot mortar emplacement, temporary gun emplacements, weapons pits and slit trenches, barbed wire obstructions. Within this wider network of defences are several beach defence batteries, pillboxes and large gun emplacements, recorded under NHER 42330, 42338, 42347, 42467 and 42469. The whole site is centred on TG 5290 0322.

There is a spigot mortar emplacement located on the southern edge of Cliff Hill at TG 5293 0341, showing as a central spigot within a circular pit (S4). This gun emplacement is located at the end of a line of earthworks, which appear to be the remains of temporary gun positions located on the edge of the hill (S5). Two military buildings are located within the front garden of 77 Avondale Road, which faces Cliff Hill. These include a curved profile hut, 13m by 6.5m, probably a nissen, and a smaller, rectangular hut, measuring 7.5m by 6.5m. This appears to have a pitched roof. These structures were probably used by the troops manning the cliff top defences. A line of barbed wire runs from the end of Avondale Road to TG 5289 0310 to the south, acting to enclose the cliff top and the area of the defences. Cut into the base of the cliffs to the immediate north of a landward approach from the beach is a zigzag plan slit trench, centred on TG 5295 0310 (S3).

At TG 5289 0334 is a possible large weapons pits or former gun position visible in 1940-1 (S1)-(S2). This consists of an oval pit, surrounded by a bank. This almost has the appearance of a bomb crater in 1941 (S2), although it does not have the characteristic ‘splash’ of upcast material. On the oblique aerial photograph from 1940 (S1), although the feature cannot be seen clearly, a circular embanked structure can be seen in this location, and was presumably a gun emplacement. A group of three weapons pits or temporary gun positions are centred on TG 5290 0319, next to the underground ammunition store (NHER 32666). At the southern end of the site is another gun emplacement, located at TG 5294 0302, this appears to be a circular base with a central gun mounting, and is probably a mobile machine gun emplacement.
S. Massey (NMP), 27 January 2006.