2008
TG1623 : The rifle range on Cawston heath
taken 15 years ago, near to Eastgate, Norfolk, England
The rifle range on Cawston heath
During WWI Cawston heath was used for rifle practice. The earth mound where soldiers fired at numbered targets can still be seen - the number to fire at was indicated by a courageous volunteer sitting in a trench near the mound. The area is still in use as a rifle range and the ground is littered with debris from clay pigeon shooting and the green structures seen in the background are presumably used for this purpose.
Cawston heath used to form part of a once huge heath that spread from Horsford to Cromer; originally it supplied wood, heather, furze and turf as well as rabbits for the pot. Much of the woodland in the area was planted on former heath and there is evidence that prior to 1066 the area was covered by forest. Cawston wood and heath once provided grazing for around 1,500 swine and sizeable flocks of sheep and charcoal as well as staves for fencing were produced to meet local needs. Since 1986 the area has been protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the fenced area to the south is in the process of being reverted from arable back to heath land.
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