NHER 42232 (Monument record) - World War Two High Frequency Direction Finding Station, Bradwell

February 2006. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two High Frequency Direction Finding Station (HF/DF) is visible on aerial photographs in-between Clay Lane and Gorleston Lane to the south of Bradwell village (S1-S4). The site is centred on TG 5067 0294. This structure would probably have formed part of the ‘Coastal System’ of direction finding stations that helped lost aircraft return to base and to plot the location of mayday signals, although it is further inland than other known sites, such as the HFDF site on the Gorleston Golf Links (NHER 43313).

The main structure is located to the eastern end of the site, centred on TG 5080 0295, and appears to be polygonal in shape and approximately 4m in diameter, although it may be larger at the base. This structure sits within a square fenced off area 44m across. Although it is hard to discern on the aerial photographs it is likely that this structure is octagonal and a ‘wigwam’ constructed of iron and plywood. A small rectangular conjoined structure is located at the base, 4m by 1.5m. This tower and arrangement of the associated structure is reminiscent of another HFDF station on the Gorleston Golf Links (NHER 43313). In March 1944 a dark smudge is visible across the road at the entrance to the site. This is likely to be the remains of barbed wire or a roadblock of some sort (S1).

This HFDF station is linked to Clay Lane by track, at the end of which are a cluster of military buildings and huts. These are likely to have housed the transistor and generator, plus a rest hut and a guard hut at the entrance. In-between March 1944 (S1) and October 1945 (S2) a second trackway gets constructed to the west, forming a ‘lollipop’ shaped area of uncultivated field. It is assumed that the circular area recently held a structure, although no sign of this is remains in 1945.
S. Massey (NMP), 10 February 2006.

January 2013. Geophysical Survey.
Magnetometer survey of large proposed development area.
The survey of the field to the east of Clay Lane identified an area of magnetic disturbance that appears to correspond with the site of the main structure at TG 5080 0295. A linear band of disturbance to the west is almost certainly the remains of the track that connected the station to Clay Lane. There was however no trace of the military buildings that had been present next to Clay Lane. There was also no evidence for the trackway in the field to the west of Clay Lane, nor of any associated structures in this area.
See report (S5) and NHERs 62727 and 62729 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 2 January 2019.

August-October 2016. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of two proposed development areas to west of Clay Lane (Phase 2).
These trenches revealed no evidence for the trackway visible in this field. Unfortunately it was not possible to excavate the trench that would have investigated the circular area of cultivated ground visible at this end of the trackway that had probably been the site of building.
See report (S6) and NHER 62727 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 2 January 2019.