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

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.