WW2 Road Trip

Finally, we found a few sites to see here in merry ole England that were used during WW2 or have WW2 artifacts, like tanks! Round trip for our ride will take about 5 hours, or 6 hours depending on the roads. Most have been reasonably sized but that damn Google maps keeps wanting to send us down these one lane goat trails to save 2 minutes on our drive. We’ve gotten smart about those routes. Instead of automatically following the directions, we check the road first. If it’s a goat trail, we find our own way.

Weather is good, cloudy with occasional rain and temps in the high 40’s. It really isn’t all that bad, just need to put on layers and keep dry.

First stop on today is the Norfolk Tank Museum. Advertised as having 25 tanks, even a WW1 tank, the MK-IV Battle Tank (replica) and a Chieftain Main Battle Tank. They also have several Centurion tanks and other armoured vehicles.

ZSU-23-4 Shilka Radar controlled anti-aircraft gun. 4-23mm cannon, 4,000 rounds / minute Range 1.5 miles

Crusader tank (not original color)

Chieftain Main Battle tank (work in progress)

One of the downsides to traveling in the off season is that some sites and attractions are closed. The Norfolk Tank Museum is one of those places, although their website said they are open, they are in fact closed. We did get to see a few tanks, the MK-IV tank and a couple of others, but most were in a state of repair. Even static displays require some level of maintenance. Bummer.

We press on for our second stop, the open market at Norwich. This market has 190 stalls selling all kinds of goodies so a quick stop here just to see if there is something we can’t live without. This place received the Great British Market award in 2019 so we’re expecting a real neat market.

Norwich Market

OK, not exactly what we thought it would be but still, not a bad outdoor market. Most of the goods here are clothing items except for the one guy who had every part known to man for vacuum cleaners. That was truly an amazing booth!

Do you have a belt for a 1950 Hoover Hamster upright?

We did find time to make a quick stop at a local church. St. Peter Mancroft church was built in 1455AD and is of the “Perpendicular” Gothic style. Perpendicular Gothic is characterized by an emphasis on vertical lines. This church also has a “fan vaulted” ceiling with ribs that are the same curvature instead of a groin vault ceiling. Both of which are typical Gothic style.

St. Peter Mancroft church

“Painted” glass above the altar

The East wall

The Nave

Example of a fan vault

The Font

Onward to stop number 3, the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum! This museum is housed in the original 1942 operations building, with 25 rooms and over 1,000 displays. One of the downsides to traveling in the off season is that some sites and attractions are closed. Yep, this site was closed and again, the website said it was open. Interesting to note, both the tank museum and this site have updated their websites to note they are closed after some unrest was noted at their gates. No idea what they are talking about.

OK, two more stops to make today. Next, the ruins of the friary at Burnham Norton; and the wreck of a trawler used in WW2 in Hunstanton. Since these are both outside, I don’t think they will be closed.

The Friary of Burnham Norton was built around 1253 with 15 or so Carmelite friars living in seclusion here. Worshipers of caramel, these men were known to make some of the best confections in the area. That’s not right. Carmelites were originally hermits who lived on Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range located in Israel, until war forced them from their homes. Many fled to England and found new hermitages in remote areas, such as Burnham Norton. This particular friary had a nasty ending. Seems that King Henry VIII (not a Willie or a Sam) began closing monasteries in 1530, just because. One of the friars at Burnham Norton, John Peacock, was accused of planning an uprising against these closures. We think the other friars may have pimped John out to the soldiers that showed up at the door to repossess the keys and then scooted off. However it happened, poor John was deemed guilty, taken into custody, hung, and then drawn and quartered.  The friary closed soon there after.

The Friary ruins

Last stop for the day, the wreck of the steam trawler, Sheraton. Used as a patrol boat in WW1 and WW2, the Sheraton met its demise while being used for target practice in 1947. Apparently a gale force wind broke the ships moorings and it drifted onto the beach. Most of the ship was salvaged so only the bottom of the hull remains. You know, it’s raining pretty good now so I think we’re going to pass on this wartime marvel. Time to turn and burn for the barn!

Not one of the most successful days but still a great day exploring. Driving this side of the English countryside is certainly different from Wales. Most of the roads here are at least 1.5 cars wide and now that we’re wise to Google maps, driving is a lot easier.

We also found call box #530.

Back on the road tomorrow. This time off to Brighton beach for an overnight stay, and then on to the Seven Sisters cliffs. These cliffs are just a bit farther west than Dover and there is a viewpoint so you can see them. Can’t see the Cliffs of Dover standing on the Cliffs of Dover now can you.

Cheers