First World War Pillbox, Wayford Bridge

Summary

A rare First World War pillbox of concrete block construction, part of a group that formed a "stop line" against potential enemy invaders along the River Ant and Dilham and North Walsham canal. It was constructed between 1916 and 1918.

Reasons for Designation

The pillbox at Wayford Bridge is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a well-preserved example of a First World War pillbox with additional interest for its unusual method of concrete block construction;

* it contains original doors and gun loop shutters as well as the white-painted interior finish that illustrate the original function.

Historic interest:

* as a well-preserved example of a First World War pillbox with an intact layout.

Group value:

* as part of an important group of First World War pillboxes of the same design and construction which formed a stop line at bridging points on the River Ant and Dilham and North Walsham Canal which have a strong functional relationship with each other.

History

Despite the emerging deadlock between German and allied forces in Belgium and northern France British military planners planned to counter the threat of a possible seaborne attack on the UK mainland and in 1916 it was estimated that a landing might be made with as a many as 160,000 troops on the vulnerable east coast. To counter the threat of a German landing on the beaches of north Norfolk coastal defences were constructed from 1916, some of the first to be built in the country and backed up by a series of defended points inland of the coastal towns and a stop line along the River Ant and the section which formed the North Walsham and Dilham Canal.

This utilised the northern part of the river/canal to defend the area between Barton Broad at the northern edge of the Broads to Bradfield, the closest point on the river to the defences along the coast to the south of Cromer. A series of pillboxes were constructed at eight bridging points on the river/canal from 1916 with work to the north Norfolk defences continuing until 1918.  A map of 1918 suggests two pillboxes were built here, flanking the main road just north of the bridge but no evidence has been found to suggest the western pillbox was constructed. The eastern pillbox was built on the roadside adjacent to a late C19 maltings building which was extended in 1920.

Details

A pillbox constructed between 1916 and 1918.

MATERIALS: concrete block walls with cement mortar pointing and reinforced concrete roof slab with steel door and gun loop shutters.

PLAN: circular with a single internal space.

INTERIOR: a single open-plan space with un-rendered blockwork walls painted white. A single hole in the roof towards the east may have held a ventilation pipe. Metal sliding shutters survive on the interior of the gun loops.

EXTERIOR: the building is situated on the east side of Wayford Road, just to the north of the North Walsham and Dilham. The pillbox is circular with a low, narrow doorway on its south west face flanked by single gun loops facing towards the canal. The view from the western of these gun loops is restricted by the later maltings extension. A double leaf steel door survives in the doorway. Four further gun loops are on the north and north east faces with views along the road. The gun loops are formed by simple inward sloping splayed edges to the concrete blocks forming each side and longer blocks as lintels.

Sources

Books and journals
Bird, C, Silent Sentinels: The Story of Norfolk's Fixed Defences in the Twentieth Century (1999),
Kent, P, Fortifications of East Anglia (1988), 185-87
Storey, N R, Norfolk Goes to War (2014), 46

Websites
Great War Britain Norfolk 1914-18 blog: Norfolk roundhouses of the great war, accessed Accessed 24 August 2022 from https://stevesmith1944.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/norfolk-roundhouses-of-the-great-war/
Norfolk Heritage Explorer, accessed Accessed 25 August 2022 from https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF7447-World-War-One-pillbox-at-Wayford-Bridge&Index=2&RecordCount=1&SessionID=a45e3058-e803-4379-90a0-ae629a3edf8b
Defences of Britain, accessed 26 August 2022 from https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/dob/ai_r.cfm

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