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Summary

Five rectangular structures visible on aerial photographs taken in 1942 were probably Second World War surface air raid shelters. They were removed incrementally after the war with the last apparently surviving in an adapted state until the 1980s or 1990s. 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, 1942, RAF/AC39, RAF/AC39 V 72-73 29-APR-1942 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352346.

Five rectangular structures are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1824, RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3222-3223 04-NOV-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352344.

The five structures appear to be extant.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3207-3208 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Three of the structures appear to be extant, and two survive as ruins or foundations. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2488, RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5225-5226 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352767.

Two of the structures appear to be extant, and the foundations of the other three are clearly visible. Map object partly based on this source.

Royal Air Force, 1958, RAF/58/2549, NMR SX9256/23 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0066 27-AUG-1958 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351446.

One of the structures is extant, with two windows in the western face.

Ordnance Survey, 1989, OS/89037, NMR/OS/89037 V 070-071 07-MAR-1989 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352115.

One of the structures is extant.

Next Perspectives, 1999, Pan Government Agreement, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9256 18-JUN-1999 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352218.

No structures are visible in this location.

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

Five rectangular flat roofed structures are visible on aerial photographs taken between 1942 and November 1946. By December 1946 two had been partially removed, and a further structure had been removed by March 1948. The layout of the foundations in plan is visible on these and later runs of aerial photographs, and is very similar to the design of a 50 person Surface Air Raid Shelter as illustrated by Brown et al (1996), with blast walls protecting the entrances at the short ends and several internal subdivisions including a central one. Their size, at 9 by 3.5 metres with blast walls at 1 metre from each short end, is also similar. In 1948 the blast walls of the two remaining structures are no longer visible on the vertical photography. Whilst those of one structure appear to have been removed completely, they seem to have been incorporated into the other, which had a measurable roof size of 3.5 by 11 metres in 1948. This is the structure that remained extant in 1958, when oblique aerial photographs show the western elevation to have had two windows. If this were an air raid shelter the windows may have been inserted to adapt the building to a different use, possibly as a sports facility. It was removed between 1989 and 1999. Although no upstanding features survive, it is possible that remains are present below ground.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 3207-3208 10-DEC-1946.
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
SDV351446	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1958. RAF/58/2549. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR SX9256/23 RAF 30137/PSFO-P2-0066 27-AUG-1958.
SDV352115	Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1989. OS/89037. Ordnance Survey. Photograph (Paper). NMR/OS/89037 V 070-071 07-MAR-1989.
SDV352218	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 1999. Pan Government Agreement. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9256 18-JUN-1999.
SDV352344	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1824. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1824 3222-3223 04-NOV-1946.
SDV352346	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1942. RAF/AC39. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/AC39 V 72-73 29-APR-1942.
SDV352767	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1948. RAF/CPE/UK/2488. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2488 5225-5226 11-MAR-1948.

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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