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Summary

Air raid shelters of Second World War date are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as interlinking rectilinear earthwork constructions, on former allotments to the south of the junction of Brownhills Road and Coronation Road, now under housing at Meadow Side cul de sac.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87SE/426

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AIR RAID SHELTER (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Horner, B., 03/02/2000, Playing Fields at Brownhills Road/Coronation Road, Newton Abbot (Correspondence). SDV349589.

The Royal Air Force aerial photograph of December 1946 records two rows of three interconnected blocks of turf-covered structures that look like air raid shelters. At least part of the site prior to the war was allotment gardens and so would have been an ideal space on which to erect public shelters to serve the local housing estates, school and factories. Newton Abbot was first bombed in August 1940.

Woodward, J. (Anglican Site Investigations), 03/02/2000, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV349588.

Report of air raid shelts in what is now playing fields by Highweek School.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, Air raid shelter ewoks
RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3179-3180 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

Rectangular earthwork constructions are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Two rows of turf-covered mounds at right-angles to each other shown on Royal Air Force aerial photograph in area of ?allotments to south of junction of Brownhills Road and Coronation Road.

Ordnance Survey, 1978, OS/78037, OS/78037 V 178-179 10-MAY-1978 (Aerial Photograph). SDV362842.

Slight earthwork mounds are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Site now covered by housing at Meadow Side.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Interpretation). SDV361305.

Public surface air raid shelters of Second World War date are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 as two groups of interconnected open-centred rectilinear earthwork constructions approximately 24m by 15m in size, arranged in a v-formation on allotments to the south of the junction of Brownhills Road and Coronation Road. The shelters appear to be slumping or losing definition in May 1946, supporting the interpretation that they were of earthwork construction.
The scale of the shelters might also support the interpretation that they were sited to serve the attendees at the nearby Bradley Mill and local schools (currently Highweek Community Primary and Nursery School), as well as local residents.
Slight earthworks remained visible on aerial photographs of 1978 but the site of the shelters is now under housing at Meadow Side cul de sac.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV342938	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946 - 1949. Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Digital).
SDV348725	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2012. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey. Map (Digital).
SDV349588	Correspondence: Woodward, J. (Anglican Site Investigations). 03/02/2000. Fax to Devon County Council. Unknown.
SDV349589	Correspondence: Horner, B.. 03/02/2000. Playing Fields at Brownhills Road/Coronation Road, Newton Abbot. Letter to J. Woodward (Anglian Site Investigations). Letter + Digital.
SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). Air raid shelter ewoks RAF/CPE/UK/1824 RP 3179-3180 04-NOV-1946. [Mapped feature: #116722 ]
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley. Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV362842	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1978. OS/78037. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). OS/78037 V 178-179 10-MAY-1978.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey (Ref: ACD1748)

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