Pillboxes of Norfolk

If you want to see well-preserved pillboxes in the UK, it'd be hard to beat the North Norfolk Coast !

They are literally everywhere, and I photographed just a tiny selection on my holiday last week ( including one 'star' find.. ).

Here's a nice one nestled in a corner of a copse overlooking the North Norfolk Railway, about five minutes' walk from where I was staying ; -




And a typical concrete type, this one guarding a bridge over a drainage dyke near the entrance to Holkham Hall : -



But for me, the absolute gem was this Allan Williams prefabricated fort in situ at Cley-next-the-Sea, the first one I'd ever seen. Countless thousands of bird-watchers must walk past this every year without realising what it is. Both hatches and the entrance cover were missing, but interior fittings including the rollers on which the top swivelled are in place. A great relic....






And a snap of your happy correspondent....




As the brochure says, 'North Norfolk - So Much To See And Do' but I don't think that this was what they meant

 

Superb pics, Martin-no wonder you look pleased with yourself!
Love the Allan Williams turret, and that second one looks like a Vickers MG post.

 

I hope I get the pleasure of visiting some of those sites. Hopefully one day I will.

 

very cool, very cool....the pictures of the "allan williams" alone, make it look pretty big. it loos small with you standing by...haha
but very neat stuff *pat on back*

 

Thanx again for sharing the experience and the pics, Martin!

 

great pics Martin,

Is the Holkham one the composite pillbox consisting of two Vickers machine gun emplacements?

OS Map ref TF 8795 4418

Here's some more Allan Williams Pics

For those of you intersted in seeing what else the UK has to offer in terms of WW2 Defence Remains you might want to check out my site at.

Pillboxesuk

 

Very nice Pics Martin! It must be fantastic to visit such a historic place. Here in my part of the US there are civil war sites to visit. But I couldn't imagine going to the places that you get to see over there. I bet you can feel the history.

Nice windmill behind you!

Is Ludham airfield near to where you were? Wasn't it a wwii airfield?

Thanks again for the pics!

 

Thanks for sharing these great pics, Martin! That Allan Williams turret, was that made especially for midgets???? It looks TINY!

 

Ludham's a bit further south and was a WW2 airfield.

Here's some pics

And talking of windmills it has a fortified windmill with brick blast wall added to doorway. Five loopholes on the ground floor. 3 loopholes on the first floor. Sorry no pics of this one, but if anyone's in the area it sounds like worth a visit!

OS map ref TG 372 172

 

I'm going to have to learn how to work out those OS references.....school was some time ago, now...