Muckleborgh Collection

Posted by admin as 3: Season Three

The Muckleborgh Collection stands on the site of Weybourne Camp, a military installation on the North Norfolk Coast.

The collection itself was started by Berry Savory, a WW II fighter pilot, in 1988. It is the UK’s largest collection of military vehicles still in private hands and consists of more than 120 tanks, vehicles and guns. Included in this are working examples of the famous Sherman tank and the Russian T34. The heart of the museum is based in the old Naafi building, the only surviving original structure. The rest of the older military buildings were demolished in 1986.

Weybourne Camp, the site of the collection, was originally used as an Anti-Aircraft Artillery training range. It was the main live firing range for ACK-ACK command during the war. Facing German-occupied Europe during WWII, the Norfolk coastline became a controlled zone by the British forces. This controlled zone extended 10km deep into the North Sea around Norfolk. Weybourne Camp was a vital part of this zone.

Although mainly associated with the war, the area occupied by the camp has a history dating back even further. Norfolk was one of the main landing grounds for Viking raiders, the nearby steeply raked beaches were perfect landing sites for their longships. Continuing the military connection it also has within the grounds a rare example of a WWI pillbox.

The site has a number of reputed hauntings. Lights have been seen over the artillery practice range, footsteps heard and cold spots felt in one of the corridors and mysterious shadows seen in the main hall

First broadcast: 2nd December 2003