NHER 53204 (Monument record) - Site of possible World War Two bomb crater

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Summary

A possible World War Two bomb crater is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs from 1944, but is ploughed out by 1946. It is possible that this feature represents a post medieval extraction pit or other agricultural feature, but given its proximity to the searchlight battery described in NHER 53203, and its fresh appearance on the wartime aerial photographs, it was considered to be a possible bomb crater.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TG11NE
Civil Parish HORSFORD, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Map

November 2009. Norfolk NMP.
A possible World War Two bomb crater is visible as cropmarks on aerial photographs (S1)-(S2) from 1944,at TG 1950 1642, but is ploughed out by 1946 (S3).
The feature measures 19m in total diameter, and consists of a C-shaped inner ditch of up to 4.7m in width with an upcast spoil bank around it.
It is possible that this feature represents a post medieval extraction pit or other agricultural feature, but given its proximity to the searchlight battery described in NHER 53203, and its fresh appearance on the wartime aerial photographs, it was considered to be a possible bomb crater.
E. Bales (NMP), November 2009.

October 2025. HER Enhancement: Forestry Commission Project K.
The low earthworks of a pit associated with the site of a possible Second World War bomb crater or former extraction pit, discussed above, are visible on visualised lidar data from a survey flown in 2021 (S4).
J. Powell (Norfolk County Council Environment Service), 24 October 2025

  • <S1> Vertical Aerial Photograph: USAAF. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC 264 5041-2 31-MAR-1944 (NMR).
  • <S2> Vertical Aerial Photograph: USAAF. 1944. US/7GR/LOC348 (FS) 2192 27-MAY-1944 (NMR).
  • <S3> Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. RAF 106G/UK/1636 4190-1 09-JUL-1946 (NMR).
  • <S4> LIDAR Airborne Survey: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LIDAR Data. National LIDAR Programme TG11NE DTM 1m 02-DEC-2021 TO 06-DEC-2021.

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

Oct 27 2025 9:13AM

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