Air-raid shelter in my garden

[RobCRobC]

Hi

I've joined this forum to try and find out a bit more about what I thinks is an air-raid shelter in my garden.

Is it an air raid shelter?
Is it common?
What could I do with it?
Where can I find out more?

A bit of background. Our house was built in 1937, we moved in in 2005. The housing estate (in Watford) was built on a park in the 1930's with infills ever since. The air raid shelter is I think made entirely of concrete, approximately cube shaped 6ft in all dimensions. It is semi-submerged, approximately 10ft from the house, with a small narrow entrance which faces the house. It is covered in soil. I have been into it once (when frogs scared the living daylights out of me) it is difficult to get in and out as the entrance is probably 2ft square, is at ground level with an immediate drop into the shelter.

If I see the previous owners I will ask them about it.

Our neighbours have an anderson shelter (not submerged) at the far end of their garden.

Any thoughts, comments or help welcome

Rob

 

[reddwarf9]

Welcome to the site. Sounds interesting, do you have any pics you could put up?

rd

 

[digitalxspace]

This sounds interesting please post up some pictures for us to see so. With some pics of the place you will be able to get a more definate answer from the people in the know here

Oh and welcome to DP

 

[thompski]

I remember there was a report in our local newspaper about a family who found a air raid shelter very similar to the one you described. The house was also 1930s like yours and it turned out the wartime occupant was a senior employee at a local factory.

 

[batroy]

Such shelters - a step up from the ubiquitous Anderson shelter - are surprisingly common. I know of one in suburban Oxford and I stood in a very well appointed one built into a hillside garden in Surrey earlier in the year when helping a friend move house. They normally mean that whoever lived there in 1939 had a bit of cash to spare and built something more substantial than the norm. Both the ones mentioned above are in upmarket leafy suburbs miles away from where the bombs fell.

 

[RobCRobC]

I will post some pictures once my camera has been repaired - my daughter through it down the stairs!

 

[King Al]

Sounds bloody cool to me, looking forward to the pics

 

[reddwarf9]

I will post some pictures once my camera has been repaired - my daughter through it down the stairs!

Most cameras dont bounce too well

 

[Scotty]

I will post some pictures once my camera has been repaired - my daughter through it down the stairs!

Got a phone?

i'm iching for some pics

 

[mineme]

hi and welcome to the site it does sound like one to me but without photos can not be to shore but people did some times bring them onto ground level to use as shedds aftear the war and some people did not i do now of some shelters still being in the ground. but does your house have a celore becouse if it does then some people used them in stead of haveing a shelter.

 

[smiffy]

in yer garden.....

Sounds more like thats the septic tank to me ha ha ha ha!

 

[Sabtr]

A neighbour of a recent job I was at is rumoured to have their own nuclear shelter at the bottom of their garden. The garden is massive and aparently the previous owner (a retired engineer) had it built by a construction company. I would love to have a look at it but just aint got the balls to simply go and knock on their door!

 

[Scotty]

any update?

 

[Sabtr]

any update?

I'm working opposite the said property on Monday and if I see anyone there I'll go talk. It's the kind of property I wouldn't simply go and knock on!

 

[Scotty]

I'm working opposite the said property on Monday and if I see anyone there I'll go talk. It's the kind of property I wouldn't simply go and knock on!

Cool.
get some pics

 

[smileysal]

Brilliant. Really looking forward to seeing any pictures of it. Sounds great.

Cheers,

Sal