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| HER Number | MWB15990 |
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| Record Type | Monument |
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| Name | Site of World War II munitions factory, Theale - approximate location |
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Summary
Location of Second World War munitions factory, demolished in later 20th century
Monument Type(s):
Full Description
Research carried out as part of the Defence of Britain project included information about a munitions factory which was built in the early part of the Second World War on the site of the industrial estate off Brunel Road, Theale <1>. The factory was subsequently demolished, but the housing built for the workers apparently survives in the early 21st century in Blossom Avenue.
A GIS point has been created for the factory based on a building shown on the 5th Epoch Ordnance Survey mapping <2>. A complex of at least a dozen buildings of different shapes and sizes is labelled as 'Factory (Refrigerators)'.
An aerial photograph from 1952 <3> shows the Prestcold refrigerator factory in the foreground and, possibly, the munitions factory in the background as an area of dark single-storey buildings.
A 1981 planning application for the Prestcold Site in Station Road <4> was approved for the demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a new factory and warehouse units including new estate road.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Davies, P. 2000. WWII housing in Theale - email correspondence. [Unpublished document / SWB13375] |
| <02> | Ordnance Survey. 1962-1981. Ordnance Survey Epoch 5, 1:2500. 1:2500. [Map / SWB14665] |
| <03> | Aerofilms. 10/10/1952. Britain from Above - EAW047231. Aerial Photo. [Photograph / SWB149517]
https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW047231 (Accessed 19/12/2018) |
| <04> | Newbury District Council. 1974-2000. Newbury District Council Planning Applications 1974-2000. 81/16022/ADD. [Index / SWB148104] |
Related Monuments
| MWB3725 | THEALE VILLAGE (Place) |
| MWB15915 | World War II housing, Theale - Blossom Square area (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
None recordedIf you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.
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