World War Two had a huge impact on Colchester and its archaeology. Colchester sits on the line of one of three heavily defended anti-invasion defences in Essex, known as the Eastern Command Line. This 'stop line' was designed in response to the thre...

This WWII searchlight emplacement was part of the East Mersea coastal artillery battery.

This was the observation post for the WWII coastal artillery battery at East Mersea.

Cudmore Grove Country Park was, during WWII, a coastal artillery site housing 4.7" guns.

Cudmore Grove Country Park was, during WWII, a coastal artillery site housing 4.7" guns.

The base of a WWII searchlight emplacement can be seen on top of the sea wall at Cudmore Grove Country Park.

During WWII this entire area was a coastal artillery site with two 4.7" guns made in Japan in 1918. This is the only surviving gun casemate of this type in the County.

Sitting in a grassy field in Cudmore Grove Country Park, a hexagonal, concrete, 16' diameter pillbox.

Hexagonal, concrete pillbox in scrub and thicket at the side of a field 50 yards from the sea shore on Cudmore Grove Country Park.

This searchlight emplacement was part of the WWII coastal artillery site at West Mersea.