This was a typical winter! January down on the Norfolk coast is not one of the most warmest times to go bunker hunting I was staying in Hunstanton over the weekend, so a good 2 hour foot slog along the dunes seemed to be in order!
I was pleasantly surprised at what I uncovered, and certainly a lot of unanswered questions about some of the defences I found?
On with the Pics:
This stretch of coastline is one of constant erosion and shifting sands as the abandoned sea defences will testify.
First up was this spigot mortar base, located next to a break in the dunes, closer inspection revealed another one 10 yards away hiding in the gorse.
A further 10 min walk into "No Mans Land" literally, no habitation for miles around! I came across a heavily concreted air raid shelter buried back in the dunes.
Although this does not go back a long way, (more like a room) access either side signifies that this was of some importance. Not to far from here I came across some narrow gauge railway lines in the dunes, and very soon another air raid shelter buried nearly up to its roof in sand.
There was obviously something significant that was in this area, I suspect that the a lot has been covered by the shifting sands. Looking from a vantage point and the lay of the land there appears to be a trench system evident this was soon verified by a strange bunker/pillbox, (that aligned itself with the shelter above) that I have never come across before, located some 150 yards away along the trench.
Looking along the trench line, centre is the buried bunker/pillbox.
Interior of the buried bunker/pillbox, not to sure of this one? it does not look like a PB, with the side windows, that would have faced out onto the beach.
From here, what appears to be an anti tank ditch soon comes into view, walking along the ditch several barbed wire entanglement stakes can be seen buried partially in the sides of the ditch.
At the end of the ditch a big Blockhouse defends the corner of the anti tank ditch, it then does a 360 degree turn back on itself and runs off to form a compound?
Inside the blockhouse (right building in above photo) are the remains of what looks like a small pulley/conveyor, its purpose is unknown?
Some of these buildings are on the DOB database but there purpose is unknown? Certainly at this time of the year with the vegitation down, the landscape can be better viewed and an idea of the size of this place can be ascertained, was there a big anti aircraft complex here or something different that has been buried in the dunes?
One for the Norfolk boys to come up with some answers?
Over to you!
Thanks for looking