Two First World War Pillboxes to the north and south of Happisburgh Road, White Horse Common

Summary

Two rare First World War pillboxes 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. They were constructed between 1916 and 1918.

Reasons for Designation

The two pillboxes at White Horse Common are listed for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as well-preserved examples of First World War pillboxes of unusual concrete block construction;

* they contain original doors and gun loop fittings as well as the white-painted interior finish that illustrate their original function.

Historic interest:

* as good surviving examples of First World War pillboxes with intact layouts.

Group value:

* they form 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/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 Norfolk Broads and 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. Happisburgh Road bridges the canal just to the north of White Horse Common at the former site of Ebridge Mill. A military map of 1918 shows two pillboxes flanking the road to the west of the bridge.

Details

Two pillboxes constructed between 1916 and 1918.  

MATERIALS: concrete block walls with concrete roof slab incorporating steel beams and steel door and gun loop shutters.  

PLAN: circular with one entrance to a single internal space.  

INTERIOR: the northern pillbox is a single open-plan space with an earth floor. The un-rendered blockwork walls and roof are painted white. The gun loops all have steel frames with integral mounting brackets and two of them retain their central hinged shutters with rings to secure them. There are two holes in the roof which might have held ventilation pipes. The southern pillbox is the same inside with gun loop fittings in place and one retaining the central hinged shutter. 

EXTERIOR: the pillbox to the north of Happisburgh Road is situated in a field overlooking the North Walsham and Dilham Canal and the bridge at Ebridge Mill to the east. The pillbox is circular, sunk slightly below ground level. The concrete block walls are roughly pointed and topped by blocks with curved outer faces set around the roof slab. The roof slab is a single piece of cast concrete. There are five gun loops set around the pillbox, two flanking the narrow doorway to the west side which contains original steel double leaf doors with a hasp and bolt attached to the outside. 

The pillbox to the south of Happisburgh Road is of the same design, construction and size. It is situated immediately beside the road and also overlooks the North Walsham and Dilham Canal and the bridge at Ebridge Mill to the east. The five gun loops are set around the pillbox, two flanking the doorway to the west side which does not retain its original doors.

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), 185-7
Storey, N R, Norfolk Goes to War (2014), 46

Websites
Great War Britain Norfolk 1914-18 blog: Norfolk roundhouses of the great war , accessed 25 August 2022 from https://stevesmith1944.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/norfolk-roundhouses-of-the-great-war/
Norfolk Heritage Explorer , accessed 25 August 2025 from https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF16788-World-War-One-pillbox-to-north-of-Happisburgh-Road&Index=2&RecordCount=1&SessionID=2f4891a1-6b28-4d68-9589-202dc013d392
Norfolk Heritage Explorer , accessed 25 August 2022 from https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF16447-World-War-One-pillbox-south-of-Happisburgh-Road&Index=2&RecordCount=1&SessionID=758edd54-c687-4456-a0e5-02072134d6c2
Defences of Britain , accessed 26 August 2022 from https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/dob/ai_r.cfm

End of official list entry