NHER 53203 (Monument record) - Site of World War Two searchlight battery and associated structures

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two searchlight battery is visible as a group of structures and buildings on aerial photographs taken from 1942-1945 (S1)-(S4), centred at TG 1947 1689. Some elements are still visible in 1946 (S5), but it is certainly out of use by this time.
The site appears to change between 1942 (S1)-(S2) and 1944 (S3), and perhaps reflects changing technology of the time, as there appear to be less raised circular areas by 1944, perhaps indicating that it became similar to a site identified by Roger Thomas (English Heritage) as a late form of searchlight site, which utilised a radar controlled 150mm projector mounted on a wheeled trailer (NHER 42471).
To the west of the searchlight emplacements (between TG 1943 1695 and TG 1939 1689) was a row of five huts, probably operational buildings and accommodation for the crew. By 1944, an extra hut has been added to the south west, and one of the original huts is missing. To the south of the searchlight is a circular feature (NHER 53204) which may also be related to World War Two activity as it appears to be reasonably fresh on the 1944 photographs.
Whether any traces of the structures still survive at the site is not known.
E. Bales (NMP), November 2009.