Monument record SWD 024 - Various military features of World War II date on Southwold Common, including trenches, pillboxes, nissen hutus and barbed wire

Aerial photographs from 1941 (S1) show a trench c 30m long with an associated pillbox surrounded by barbed wire on Southwold Common. Approx 300m north-west a further feature, which appears to be a sunken square structure surrounded by a bank, can be seen. By 1945 (S2), these features are still visible, although the barbed wire cannot be seen around the more southerly trench. In addition to these features though, around 20 nissen huts can be seen close to the water tower on the common, what appears to be the beginnings of an anti-aircraft battery are also visible to the north of the nissen huts. About 300m east of the nissen huts, a section of zig-zag trench and a barbed wire enclosure can be seen, close to a small gun emplacement and c 100m north of a rectangular barbed wire enclosure. These features are all likely to be of World War II date and would have formed part of the defences in this area.The fact that there are more features in the later photograph shows that there was a concerted effort to enhance the country's defences towards the end of the Second World War.