Monument record DAR 024 - High Street Chain Home Radar Station CH28 with surronding pillboxes, Darsham

High Street, nr. Darsham. Four L-shaped pillboxes defending High Street Chain Home Station. Each is rectangular (12ft x 16ft) with one corner taken out (S1-4).
A further non standard pillbox by the side of the A144 (S5).
Well preserved radar station, with receive and transmitter blocks at separate locations. To the south is a well-reserved receiver station, with operation block surviving, a full set of aerial bases and 4 ancillary bases. The northern site is the transmitter site, with operations block, 4 ancillary buildings and 4 sets of aerial bases visible. The western and southern edges of the transmitter site have been built over (S6).
The site of a Royal Air Force Chain Home radar station at High Street, known as site CH28. It was established by 1940 to provide early warning of enemy aircraft approaching East Anglia and the southern North Sea. It was thus an important part of the country's early warning system during the Battle of Britain, when it fell within the crucial RAF FighterCommand's 11 group sector.
Chain Home stations commonly comprised transmission and receiver blocks, four 240ft timber receiver aerial towers, four 350ft steel transmitter aerial towers that stood on concrete pads, and other buildings such as dispersed accommodation huts, guard huts and stand-by set houses for reserve power. From 1940 defensive measures were installed at radar stations, including Light Anti-Aircraft gun emplacements, pill boxes, road blocks and air raid shelters. The High Street site was divided into two parts- the transmitter site (located at TM 410 720) and receiver site (located at TM 407 715). In the early 1950s the station was remodelled and technically restored as part of the Rotor programme. The station was disused by the 1960s, when the transmitter pylons were demolished. Aerial photography from 1973 shows that the receiver block and a full set of four aerial bases survive, plus four separate ancillary buildings. The transmission block with four sets of aerial bases and four ancillary buildings also survive. A further, single set of aerial bases is visible at TM 410 716. The western and southern edges of the transmission site have since been built over (S7).

2014: A Heritage Asset Assessment was carried out by Place Services (S8).

Pillbox visible on a 1946 vertical AP on the perimeter of the radar station (S9).