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Summary

A fire station of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006 onwards, off Bridge Road, Countess Wear.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX98NW/188

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MILITARY BUILDING (World War II to XXI - 1939 AD to 2100 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1945, RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp2, RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp2 6101-02 09-SEP-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354828.

The fire station is visible as a range of structures.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2144, RAF/CPE/UK/2144 V 5025-26 10-JUN-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354830.

The site of the fire station remains unchanged.

Royal Air Force, 1955, RAF/540/1649, RAF/540/1649 F21 092-93 25-JUN-1955 (Aerial Photograph). SDV354831.

The site remains largely unchanged, although the aerial has been removed and the site reduced in size to its present extent.

Horner, B., 1996, Countess Wear (Worksheet). SDV22714.

Site visit 5th June 1996. Brick building beside bridge road. Not on 1933 OS 6" map, nor recorded on the Luftwaffe aerial photo of 1940. Backs onto what is now King George playing fields. Appears Second World War in origin. The main building has large front doorways onto access to road and probably housed vehicles. Adjoining on the south side is a sub-block with a small brick structure on top its roof. The whole could be a national or auxiliary fire service station.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX9489 17-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

Two original buildings of the former fire station remain visible as structures.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9489 03-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351300.

A number of the larger structures of the former fire station remain visible.

Passmore, A. + Passmore, M., 2008, The Fire Service in Countess Wear, Exeter (Pamphlet). SDV347325.

Passmore, M. + Passmore, A., 2010, Second World War Fire Station, Exeter, 2-4 (Leaflet). SDV345201.

A wartime fire station was established by the National Fire Service in Countess Wear, Exeter. The site is located in the George V Playing Field, adjacent to the A379. Permission was granted "for the duration of the war" when buildings were required to be demolished and the land made available again for playing-field purposes. Plans of the site prepared in the 1940s depict six buildings: an appliance room; a firemen's dormitory; a shower and lavatory block; a second lavatory block with a drying room and officers' and firewomen's quarters; a recreation and mess hut with kitchen; a store. The site was not demolished as originally stipulated, and is used by Exeter City Council. It retains many wartime features, although several buildings have been removed. Other details: Photographs.

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

A fire station of Second World War date is visible as a range of structures on aerial photographs of 1945 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006 onwards, off Bridge Road, Countess Wear. The former fire station originally occupied an area of approximately 0.50 hectares of land on the northwest side of Bridge Road. It comprises a range of large pitched-roof structures, a single nissen hut and a range of smaller temporary structures, in addition to a radio mast located to the northeast of the site. The site is accessed from Bridge Road and is enclosed by possible fencing. The site remains largely unchanged on aerial photographs of 1947, although by 1955 the radio mast has been removed and the extent of the site reduced in size to its present form. Digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006 show that the site remains largely unchanged, although a number of the smaller structures have been removed and by 2012 only two of the original structures remain visible.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV22714	Worksheet: Horner, B.. 1996. Countess Wear. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV345201	Leaflet: Passmore, M. + Passmore, A.. 2010. Second World War Fire Station, Exeter. A Brief Introduction to Twentieth Century Military and Civil Defence Archae. 8. A4 Folded + digital. 2-4.
SDV347325	Pamphlet: Passmore, A. + Passmore, M.. 2008. The Fire Service in Countess Wear, Exeter. A4 Stapled + digital.
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
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX9489 17-SEP-2012.
SDV351300	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX9489 03-JUN-2006.
SDV354828	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1945. RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp2. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/106G/UK/780 RVp2 6101-02 09-SEP-1945. [Mapped feature: #95315 ]
SDV354830	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/2144. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2144 V 5025-26 10-JUN-1947.
SDV354831	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1955. RAF/540/1649. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/540/1649 F21 092-93 25-JUN-1955.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4894 - Site Visit to Second World War Fire Station, Exeter
• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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