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Eight of Norfolk’s First World War pillboxes have been awarded Grade II- listed status by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, on the advice of Historic England.
Among the first pillboxes in Britain, these concrete structures were built between 1916 and 1918 to defend against the threat of German landings on the beaches of north Norfolk. Located at bridging points on the River Ant and North Walsham and Dilham and Canal, they were part of a network of pillboxes placed slightly inland, intended to provide an additional line of defence for the Broads.
All eight pillboxes are well-preserved, and still feature their original steel doors, gun-loop shutters, and white-painted interiors. Of particular note is the pillbox at Bacton Wood, which has an unusual semi-circular plan.
Tony Calladine, the East of England Regional Director of Historic England, noted that the listing recognises the ‘exceptional durability’ of these structures that ‘now form part of the historic Norfolk landscape and tell an important story of local and national significance’.
