Monument record ELV 041 - Butts; Rifle Range

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Summary

The site of a rifle range of early twentieth century date is shown on a 1928 map, but likely to relate to training during or shortly before First World War, but continuing in use during the Second World War. The earthworks are clearly visible on the aerial photographs and the 0.5m resolution Lidar data. The lidar data clearly indicates that the main butt to the east and the some of the smaller butts to the west survive as earthworks. The site is depicted as "Butts (disused)" shown on OS maps of 1928 & 1980.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 810 824 (994m by 120m)
Map sheet TL88SW
Civil Parish ELVEDEN, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

'Butts (disused)' shown on OS maps of 1928 (S1) & 1980 (S2). Also 'Rifle Range' shown on 1928 map, extending c.3000 ft to the west of the targets and bund to the rear. Not shown on OS first edition map of 1836. Large scale maps prior to 1928 not checked. In use shortly after (during?) 2nd World War - range targets shown on 1946 AP (S3).
The site of a World War II rifle range including the stop butts. The site was located in Thetford Forest, close to Parsonage Heath. The site can be seen on the 1:2500 1939 Ordnance Survey map and could have been constructed during the Second World War. At the time of the Defence of Britain survey, the site was found to have been in an uncertain condition (S4).

January 2019. 'Brecks from Above' and Breckland National Mapping Programme.
The 20th century rifle range described above is visible as earthworks, structures and a strip of cleared ground on 1940s aerial photographs (S5-S6), and possibly also (partially) on an aerial photograph from 1923 (S7). Some surviving elements are visible as earthworks on imagery from a 2015 lidar survey (S8-S9). Historical Ordnance Survey maps indicate that the range was constructed after 1903 (S10), but was already disused by 1926 (S11). This suggests that it is likely to be a First World War construction, although it could instead relate to the military exercises that took place in Breckland prior to the First World War, following the establishment of the British Expeditionary Forces in 1906. Large-scale training exercises took place in Breckland in 1906, 1911 and 1912; a map showing the location of the 1912 Territorial Manoeuvres indicates that they took place in an area between Thetford, Brandon and Elveden (S12), meaning that it is feasible to suggest that the rifle range could pre-date the First World War. The 1940s aerial photographs (S5)-(S6) indicate that the range was used again during the Second World War.
The site has been mapped principally by extent, but surviving elements of the site visible as earthworks on imagery from a 2015 lidar survey (S8-S9), have also been mapped. A bank curving around the eastern end of the range may be a modern feature. It is probable that the earthworks visible on the lidar still survive.
S. Horlock and S. Tremlett (Norfolk Historic Environment Service), 21st January 2019.

Sources/Archives (12)

  • <S1> Map: OS. OS Map. OS, 1:2500 map, XIII.9, 1928.
  • <S2> (No record type): OS, 1:10000 map, TL 88 SW, 1980.
  • <S3> Photograph: RAF. Air Photograph. RAF, AP, 1069 UK/1557, 7 Jun 46, F/36/1540 SQDN, 3005.
  • <S4> Index: English Heritage. Pastscape. http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1412140.
  • <S5> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/59 V 5393-5396 05-FEB-1946 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S6> Vertical Aerial Photograph: Vertical aerial photograph. RAF/CPE/UK/1801 RS 4127-4128 25-OCT-1946 (HEA Original Print).
  • <S7> Oblique Aerial Photograph: Oblique aerial photograph. Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service Crawford Collection 1553 TL7981/1 13-JUL-1923 (Print).
  • <S8> LIDAR Airborne Survey: LIDAR airborne survey. LIDAR Wangford Forest Research 0.5m DTM 17-JUL-2015 (BNG Project, FC England, Fugro Geospatial).
  • <S9> LIDAR Airborne Survey: LIDAR airborne survey. LIDAR Thetford Forest Research 0.5m DTM 17-JUL-2015 (BNG Project, FC England, Fugro Geospatial).
  • <S10> Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map. OS 25 inch map, revised 1903, published 1905; https://maps.nls.uk/view/120855251.
  • <S11> Map: Ordnance Survey. Ordnance Survey Map. OS 25 inch map, revised 1926, published 1928; https://maps.nls.uk/view/120855254.
  • <S12> Bibliographic reference: Goulding, Peter. 2016. The Military History of the Brecks 1900-1949. 2016. The Breckland Society Report..

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Record last edited

Oct 16 2019 2:52PM

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