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Summary

A probable Second World War air raid shelter on Preston Green is visible as a building on aerial photographs taken between 1941 and 1944. It appears to have been removed by 1946 although foundations were still present in 1988 and below-ground remains may survive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1941, RAF/S481, NMR SX8960/7 MSO 31260/PO-12 13-SEP-1941 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352366.

A rectangular building is just visible as a structure.

United States Airforce, 1944, US/7PH/GP/LOC147, RAF/US/7PH/GP/LOC147 F24 5016 20-JAN-1944 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351618.

A rectangular structure is visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK223 5098-5099 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

A pale mark appears to be a parchmark or a concrete building platform.

Ordnance Survey, 1988, OS/88198, NMR/OS/88198 V 208-209 25-JUN-1988 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352243.

The outline of a building is clearly visible as a strong parchmark.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A rectangular building is visible as a structure on aerial photographs taken in 1941 and 1944, and is later visible as a pale parchmark or platform in 1946 and as a clear parchmark over wall bases in 1988. In the latter photographs some detail of the plan can be seen, with a gap for the entrance in the west wall and an external structure narrower than the main building on this side. Its size and conformation at 12 by 3.5 metres are consistent with an interpretation of an air raid shelter with a blast wall around the entrance and a hard track leading to it from the pre-existing path. It is likely to have been one of six such shelters on Preston and Paignton seafronts in the Second World War, which were removed soon after the conflict ended. In this instance, foundations are likely to survive as below-ground remains.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351618	Aerial Photograph: United States Airforce. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC147. United States Airforce. Photograph (Paper). RAF/US/7PH/GP/LOC147 F24 5016 20-JAN-1944.
SDV352243	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1988. OS/88198. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). NMR/OS/88198 V 208-209 25-JUN-1988. [Mapped feature: #64707 ]
SDV352279	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/3G/TUD/UK223 5098-5099 12-JUL-1946.
SDV352366	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. RAF/S481. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX8960/7 MSO 31260/PO-12 13-SEP-1941.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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