NHER 42491 (Monument record) - World War Two military training site at Potter’s Hopton Beach Camp

March 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two military training site and area of associated coastal defences are visible on aerial photographs at the Potter’s Hopton Beach Camp, Hopton-On-Sea (S1-S7). The holiday camp was requisitioned by the military from 1940-9 (S8). All of the 1930s holiday camps in this area were heavily used by the military for accommodation and training sites and the Golden Sands Holiday Camp to the immediate north of Beach Road (NHER 42496) was also requisitioned. The holiday chalets were being used for accommodation for the troops and are surrounded by evidence of their training exercises, such as practice trenches, weapons pits and barbed wire obstructions. The whole site is centred on TM 5341 9961, although main holiday camp is at TM 5327 9958. Some of the structures and earthworks recorded as part of this site form perimeter defences for the Corton Radar station to the immediate south (Suffolk SMR -COR 043/XS19097), in particular a minefield and barbed wire obstructions. A possible light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacement and a searchlight emplacement are also visible. This World War Two radar site is located largely in Suffolk, although some parts of the site overlap into the Hopton parish.

The majority of the structures appear to be part of the original 1930s holiday camp, however there is a flat-roofed concrete structure located at TM 5315 9952, measuring 19.5m by 5m. It seems likely that this is a military addition to the site. Several slit trenches and large weapons pits have also been dug into the lawns in the centre of all the holiday chalets in 1941 (S2). To the east of the chalets a series of longer zigzag trenches have been dug, around the tennis courts. At TM 5323 9963 to the north is an area of disturbed ground visible in August 1944 (S7), which also shows traces of small slit trenches and weapons pit having been dug.

To the east of the holiday camp is an area of earthworks which are possibly associated with training exercises and include lots of small weapons pits and slit trenches. Some of these pits appear to have guns within them in 1940 (S1). A larger rectangular gun emplacement is also visible at TM 5353 9966, measuring 10m by 6m. This is likely to have been for a light anti-aircraft gun of some sort. To the immediate south at TM 5353 9961 is a circular sunken feature, 8.5m in diameter, with a surrounding embankment. It is possible that this is the site of a searchlight emplacement. By 1941 these emplacements appear to have been abandoned and the possible searchlight site is showing as a circular sunken area (S3). In 1940-1 there are clear tracks running from the holiday camp to this group of gun emplacements and also towards the site of the radar station to the south (Suffolk SMR -COR 043/XS19097). The radar site at this point appears to consist of an aerial gantry perched on top of the main building (S2). The tall masts are a later addition to the site. Several sections of barbed wire have also been erected across the site, in particular along the coast. These link up with the barbed wire to the north, recorded under NHER 42496, and the barbed wire surrounding the radar station to the south. By 1944 a minefield has been laid through the site of the earlier gun emplacements and possible searchlight (S4-56). Also there is evidence of more episodes of military pit digging in the area, possibly still indicating that the camp is being used by the military. Both of these areas of activity have been defined on the NMP map as an ‘extent of area’ rather than the individual earthworks being mapped.
S. Massey (NMP), 06 March 2006.