NHER 54509 (Monument record) - World War Two military site and associated pillboxes

October 2010. Norfolk NMP.
A World War Two military accommodation and training site is visible on aerial photographs (S1-S2) on land to the east of Lodge Farm, Croxton. Two pillboxes are also visible, either one of which may relate to that recorded as NHER 15054.
The site consists of a number of practice trenches, centred on TL 8735 8512, along with several possible accommodation huts, centred on TL 8725 8516, all of which have been removed by 1946 (S2). The two possible pillboxes, however, are still visible on the 1946 photographs.
A third pillbox is visible to the east, and has been recorded separately (NHER 15053).
E. Bales (NMP), 18 Oct 2010.

January - May 2010. Geophysical survey.
The survey revealed a tightly defined cluster of large ferrous anomalies against the eastern edge of the area that coincide with a deep hollow. It is possible that this is a former sand pit which has been infilled with ferrous materials. A scatter of large discrete ferrous anomalies could represent buried structural features such as reinforced concrete footings and could be practice trenches associated with the World War Two training site.
See report (S3) and NHER 64804 for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 28 July 2011.

January-May 2010. Geophysical survey.
Magnetometer survey of three separate areas (Areas 3a, 3b and 3c).
A complex arrangment of large ferrous anomalies clearly coincided with the World War Two site, as did a number of fragmentary 'pipeline' type anomalies. It is clear that this area was subject to considerable disturbance. It is possible that some of the anomalies represent surviving footings, rather than just ferrous scrap and/or demolition debris.
See report (S3) and NHER 64804 for further details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 25 March 2021.

August-September 2010. Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of part of large proposed development area (Trenches 1-5, 6 and 21-20).
Three trenches at the southern end of the field positioned to target the denser clusters of geophysical anomalies revealed two large features interpreted as former quarry pits. Both did though contain modern debris that almost certainly represented rubbish dumped at some point after the World War Two site was decommissioned.
See report (S4) and NHER 64804 for further details.
S. Howard (HES), 10 August 2011.

A war diary held by The National Archives (S5) reveals that Lodge Farm was actually the headquarters of the 60th Searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery. The regiment is recorded as having arrived on 8 September 1939.
Information received from [1].
P. Watkins (HES), 21 November 2026.