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Summary

Former location of a Second World War munitions storage building and loading bay demolished in the early 21st century

Monument Type(s):

• ORDNANCE STORE (Second World War to Early 21st century - 1941 AD? to 2018 AD?)
• OVERHEAD CRANE (Second World War to Early 21st century - 1941 AD? to 2018 AD?)

Full Description

Building recording was carried out on Building 8S23 in 2016 ahead of its demolition <1>. It was constructed during the Second World War. It was recorded as a single storey, steel framed building with 9 inch thick painted brick infill panels mostly in English bond. It had a flat, felt covered roof, roller doors at its north and south ends, and multi-panelled windows with steel frames. It had two rooms inside, most recently used for the storage of containers, but originally as a transit point for items to and from the explosives area to the west. The main storage area had a loading bay with evidence of former railway tracks and an overhead crane. On the western side several small service buildings were attached to it and there were access doors to the explosives production area. The roof of the eastern-most bay was slightly higher than elsewhere, possibly to facilitate access for trains.

A long siding was built to connect the Royal Ordnance Factory to the Reading to Basingstoke railway branch line. The site had its own steam locomotives and buildings were made accessible by a railway track curving through the site. The carriages entered the buildings. Building 8S23 is likely to have been one of these buildings and appeared to have been used as a loading point and a storage area for munitions and explosives.

The building was surrounded by earth mounds with brick blast walls, which are still visible <2><3> despite the building having been demolished by 2018 <4>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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