The WW2 Coastal Defences Of Corton & Gunton, Lowestoft Suffolk.
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- Опубліковано 1 сер 2019
- #WW2Defences #Suffolk #Bunkers
The defences that run along the coast at Corton and Gunton Warren rank as one of the best preserved stretches of WW2 defences along the Suffolk coast.
This area formed the northern boundary of Lowestofts defensive perimeter and was heavily defended during the war due to the port of Lowestoft that sits just to the south which was considered of great importance and so was given an all round defended perimeter.
In this video we explore many of those defences that were put in place including numerous pillboxes, tank defences, gun pits and emplacements as well as take a quick look at the CHL Radar Station just to the north at Hopton.
Hope you enjoy our explore and please feel free to comment with any added information you may be able to give about this location.
Thank for watching as always. Em & Stu.
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Thanks for watching 😊
Just found your channel, great vids! Was along here just last week. On Corton beach, the clifftop masonry is the remains of 'Clyffe House' a big old pile from the 1880's that succumbed to erosion in the early 1900s. A little of its out-house remains today, and you can spot some brick up the cliff today which must be remains of the original house. The holiday park which extends from where you stood - to south to the anti tank blocks preserves much of the original layout of its gardens including a pond and much of the deciduous shrubbery / trees as planted. The piles of blocks in the sea may be the remains of a promenade which extended below the foot of the cliff when the house was in its prime. There are pics of this on Corton village website. Incidentally there were many pill boxes also south of lowestoft from Pakefield to Kessingland. They were swallowed by the sea in the 80's / 90's. An extensive (radar station?) underground bunker I used to play in as a kid in the 80's used to be in the middle of a field; now the top half is teetering on top of the cliff, 2 fields south of Pontins (this was last year; it may have gone now such is the erosion). Great work guys!
Hi Jake, thank you so much for taking a look at our channel, Corton and Gunton are such interesting places with so much history as you know.. We did a video of the CHL ROTOR Radar station at Pakefield a few months before this one early last year I believe, it was just about still there back then but very close to the edge so really hope it still is but we plan on returning to the area at some point soon so I'm sure we'll take another quick look.
Thanks again for watching our video and taking the time to comment 😊👍
I remember playing down what we called the hopton bomb shelters as a youngster. Climbing down the stairs to the underground radar station and also down the roc post which at the time had the bunkbeds in and other items (early eighties) . There was also a guard room at the entrance.
We'd love to take a look inside the old radar bunker, we know people who have in the past who say it's amazing, sadly it's all private now but I believe still fairly intact at the moment. Must have been a great experience when you were younger exploring the area. Thanks for watching 👍
I smiled when you were at the radar station. You didn't go in quite far enough to see the owner's house and vehicles. He has got used to random people appearing in his large 'back garden', although at least you had the decency to do it during the day and not in the middle of the night which is quite scary for them when his quite sophisticated security system alerts him to people sneaking around. You were a bit adrift with the location of the rotor bunker, it's further North, and only partially under the raised section. That was built in the early 90s when it was a satellite station for RAF Neatishead, near Wroxham - and the portable radar head was driven up the concrete ramp and it poked over the fence, facing the sea. The portable radar eventually moved to Trimmingham firther up the coast in 97. The usual Bungalow guardhouse entrance to the Rotor Bunker was demolished in the late 80s as the RAF didn't need any underground facilities. The bunker had a checkered history with biker group - the Outcasts - taking it over in the late 70's and setting it on fire at one point. I've got a picture of me down the bunker in the early 80s, and then me in the same place 40 years later - quite weird!
Awesome explore. Grate job as allways guys. 👍👍👍👍👍☺
Nice Explore, thanks for sharing 👍🇬🇧
Thanks Maverick, glad u liked it 👍
Great video and footage amazing history thanks for sharing have a great weekend ahead
Thank you so much, really glad u liked it 😊
Another enjoyable explore!, have a great weekend 👍👍👍
Glad you liked the video and thank you 🙂
Wow a feast of pillboxes to start the day. Great video!
Thanks Raymond, glad u liked it 😊
Awesome upload guys thanks for sharing......
Thanks very much for watching, glad u liked it 🙂
Great content guys, takes me back to my youth, went inside the bunker about 35 years ago, late one night with a few mates, amazing experience and have been fascinated ever since.
Thanks Simon, this really is a great little piece of history, it's a shame more people don't appreciate it as much as we do. Glad u liked the video and thanks for watching 👍
Great vid guys loved it looks very interesting
Thank you very much for your comments
Hi Em & Stu. Loved the video. Thanks for sharing. Subbed!
Thanks Nick, been subbed to u for a bit now, I must catch up on some of your videos too.. we really love exploring military sites and really must get round to doing another one soon.. Thanks for your comment 👍🙂
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu oh great. It doesn't always tell me who's subscribed to my channel. Probably because you are subbed that's how I found your video's. Thanks for the comment and I will watch out for your next explore :)
Amazing bit of historical history
Thanks for taking the time to watch Matt 🙂
hi Em and Stu , I'm a new subscriber and I'm loving your content , i love history so your channel is perfect for me :)
Wow thank you for your lovely comment and new support we hope we can help you with information when ever you need it 🙂
Great videos guys!! ive been meaning to take a look myself. :)
Thank you, it's definitely worth a look, the sheer amount of pillboxes along the warren is amazing! Thanks for watching.
Beautiful structures. Love these military fort explores. Informative as well. Greatly done.
Thank you very much always appreciate every comment that we get thank you
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Live in Lowestoft and work in corton, amazing video, keep up the good work and keep safe.
Hi thank you very much this place was great hope you are well 😊
went in the one at Hopton/Corton with mates when I was a kid, fascinating
We should be going back soon it was great there 😊
Cool video again guys👍👻
Thank you very much for watching 👍
New to your channel. Seen this on Facebook group military explores.
Love this video. Just subscribed will be watching out for more.
I have a few smaller ones to these on my channel never seen one like this before.
Amazing yous two big like from me. 👍👍
Thank you very much, we'll make sure we take a look at a few of your videos too, we r always interested in all sorts of military stuff. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for subscribing 😊
Thank you for subscribing aswell hope yous are well.
Stay safe 👍👍👍👍
I only live about 10 mins away from here great vid you guys
It was a nice day out for us... Thank you for your comments and support
don’t go into it
@@soliderfromtf2952 U would guess it stinks
@@dorothyfreeman4828 no druggies do weed and other drugs in them
@@soliderfromtf2952 know to advoid that area many thanks
Excellent video em@stu i think that the strange blocks in the sea are what's left of a impressive sea wall , , as you both know that mother nature is very powerful when she wants to be , , keep up with the good work 👍
Thanks Neil, yes we thought probably something to do with sea defences but couldn't quite figure it out.. Thanks for your comment and glad u enjoyed the video 😊
I grew up in Lowestoft 1952-62 there were loads of old pill boxes and the like between Kessingland and Lowestoft, there was a machine gun post with a revolving cupola, it still rotated freely back in the late 50s. We recreated all the battles of the western front at some point ,, probably all gone now.
Yes there certainly is/was lots of remains along the coast there as it was classes as a very vulnerable location, shame alot have been lost to coastle erosion but glad u have lots of memories of them from your childhood. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment 🙂
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Yes that cupola was on the cliff top between Pakefield and kessingland I recall (it was 60 years ago!) and I just googled it- possibly an Alan Williams type turret for 2 men and an MG installed 1940.
I love England! Thank you for video, I will go to Lowestoft ASAP!
Thank you so very much 👍😊
That was a great adventure looking around all those old WWII buildings. Those Rocks in the Sea could be old gun placements like the one we have at Folkestone called Copt Point
ATB GL & HH
LittleJohn_MD 🇬🇧
Quite probably we really didn't know what they where and as you know we don't think we know it all we do like the help with your comments
love it my home town ...
It really is a beautiful spot to visit and loads of history right on the doorstep! I'm from just up the road in Gorleston. 🙂
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/hopton-rotor-radar-station/
Hi EmAnd Stu when you revisiting lowestoft areas again as love looking at all your videos as keep looking at odd times from John from lowestoft
It won't be long till we visit again at some point not been able to since the lock down we hope u are well thanks for watching 😊
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Hi yes thanks iam ok yes the lockdown has slowed a lot of stuff will be glad when it's all over take care both of yourself thanks again from John from lowestoft
That pillbox at 02:37 reminds me of a Pickett Hamilton fort, but it's the wrong place for it .. fascinating.
Yes we weren't sure what they were at tye time but after research I think they intended to turn them in to norton pillboxs which, I believe were often just made from pipes.. thanks for watching 👍
Hello Em and Stu just sub to your channel this is a interesting vid thanks.
Hi Robert, glad you liked the video and thanks for the sub.. Lots more like this coming soon 👍
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu So glad I found your channel I will share your vids on my social media thanks you guys.
Thank you that's so nice of you
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Your very welcome.
This is my first vid I saw of you guys just to think I live about 10 mins of corton
Yes I only live about 15 mins away, can't believe it took me so long to get round to having a look at them!
The rocks in the sea are the old sea defences. There’s pictures available in some of the old Lowestoft books👍
Thanks Mark, we thought afterward that they might have been but its nice of you to confirm it for us.. thanks for watching 😊
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu If you click on the link and scroll across the pictures, there's a couple showing how it used to look. Best wishes...
www.cortonvillage.co.uk/historic-photos-of-corton
@@markflack oh wow thank you so much, lots of great photos of Corton there, such a shame so much has now been lost to the sea.
Really local to me as I live in lowestoft!
I'm just down the coast at Gorleston so quite local for me to was this one.. Thanks for watching 👍
The first round pillbox we are thinking it was a single person gun post. The structure at around 14.30 minutes could possibly be a search light and observation post/flack gun the little square boxes on the wall possible ammo storage. Shared to our Facebook group. Hopefully in the future a possible meet up with you guys.
Thank you so much with for the information, we are alway keen to learn about the things we find.. A meet up with you in the future would be great! 😊👍
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu most definitely if you're ever up in Yorkshire plenty to see on the east coast and Hull way could show you around if you ever want to contact us we have you on Instagram message us on there.
That will be brilliant we always mention you fellas on our videos if we need help lol
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu if you're stuck on anything will always try and help you out if we can.
That will be brilliant 😊😁👍
The circular concrete things are pillboxes yea they would have had big machine guns in them
Yes there quite cool to visit 😊
Not sure if you missed them or did not film them but there are another 4 pillboxes on top of the cliffs across the road. 3 along the old railway line and another almost buried on the pitch and put course. The line of anti tank blocks also Carries on across the road and past the old railway line.
Also there is another structure at the top of the cliffs near the road that leads out of the car park that you ended the video in.
Hello we will be going back here soon to review what we did before and make a better video this time... It will be better filmed and we will make sure we get the whole area thank you for telling us about the other pillboxs 😊
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu didnt see any problems with the filming of this video to be honest.
It is a great place to go to with a load of things to explore in a pretty small area.
Only live a few minutes away from here and have been back 2 or 3 times as have missed some features on the previous visits.
When you come back would be happy to meet you and show you the others as a couple are pretty well hidden and we walked right past them the first time 😁😁
Hi phillip it's very nice of you to say that to us... We want to go back to document it properly with some more in depth information and maybe some drone footage... Hope you are well 😊
👍
Here in Estonia we have old abandoned military buildings from good old Soviet times. :)
Would love to explore a few of those! 😃
hello do you know what that army barrack is called? I live just near that I went to see it today just a shame ya cant get in, awesome video by the way x
If you mean the old radar station in Hopton which was at the start of the video it was called RAF Hopton and was one of many Chain Home Low radar stations along the coast. Thanks for your comment, really glad u liked the video x
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu thanks for replying :) looking forward to watching your other videos x
Be nice to think if these pill boxes have protected status that the council could clean them out for everyone's safety
There great places but need a clean up you are right 👍😕
Just discovered your channel and i am so glad i did, can you tell me if you are a Suffolk girl?
No Norfolk 🙂
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu Lovely accent, thanks for you reply, love the content of the videos especially the WW2 defense as i walk that way most days, only live 5 minutes away
@@robertwood6523 Thanks Robert for your lovely comment, we're lucky to have quite a few places like this remaining along our coast dispite so much having been lost or demolished over the years, there's still plenty to find and explore 😊👍
The old chain low radar became a Rotor radar station in 1950s as RAF Hopton was in use with a martello radar till the 1990s, so barbed wire and drain type sanger top date from the 1980s. ROC Hopton post was closed in 1968. I was at the ROC post a Corton in the 1980s, post since demolished. Corton ROC post crew had the odd incident of capturing an Italian Fiat CR 42 plan landed near the Corton railway station during the Battle of Britain.
Thank you, that's really interesting, we always welcome any information about these places as there's often very little to be found about them on the internet, books etc and we are always keen to learn.. Really appreciate you watching, thank you.
My mum said it used to be the footpath it used to be much further out
Really it was a lovely walk
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu if I can find anything more about it I will forward it on to you guys.
So many different types of defences found guys! Nice one and very interesting. Looking forward to your next exploration. ATB - Ben PS:I need your help with the army building I wild camped in recently. Please see my vid and feel free to advise! Cheers 👍👍
Thanks for watching Ben, as u know we love a good war defence! Yes I did already watch your video and was trying to do some research for it.. I'll comment on there.. 🙂
Exploring with Em & Stu ah thanks ever so much Em. Look forward to hearing anything you find out. ATB -Ben
Great vid guys loved it looks very interesting
Thank you very much, we really love exploring all the ww2 remains around the coast here, there's so much to find. Thanks for watching 🙂
@@ExploringWithEmAndStu ye there is I've been to like 2 pill boxes in Cromer which are on my channel nothing to exiting but there nice to explore and no worries ur welcome