History
The shelter is situated under a wooded and triangular plot of land, between 4-5 acres in size, on the west side of Ashley Road. Past researchers have been unable to find out for certain who the original owner was, but it was believed to be 'a lady at Durdans', which implies Lady Sybil Grant, the daughter of Lord Rosebery. We will return to that later, since it is relevant to the mystery surrounding the shelter's beginnings.
The official version says that the land was requisitioned by Surrey County Council on 8 February 1941 for the purpose of building a shelter costing £26,658 (about £1.3 million in today's money). Please note for future reference that there is nothing in the reports to suggest that construction had already begun, although this cannot be ruled out. However, it seems unlikely that the Council would have commenced such works before they had purchased the land.
To quote from a report prepared in 1992 by Building Management South East for Property Holdings Thames South, 'The shelter is formed of a grid of tunnels bored and cut into the chalk and flint sub-strata and variously lined with brickwork or metalwork. There are two main ventilation/access shafts, one at the north-east and another at the north-west corner of the shelter (these have been capped in concrete for safety reasons), and a further shaft rises centrally from the north end (no visible surface opening).' There was also a metal-capped shaft at the south end.
'The entrance tunnel and all tunnel intersections are brick lined and the remaining tunnels are lined with either open mesh or galvanised corrugated iron sheeting, supported on various types of steel-sectioned portal frames.'
The Explore
Visited with @Porker of the night . My oh my was this a stubborn old girl, the rewards were mighty fine, quite possibly the best kept deep shelter I have ever laid my eyes upon. This was a multiple f*ck pig of trips before we waved our magic wand and appeared inside, but persistence and determination paid off. We were down there for a good few hours.
On to the pictures
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17. @Porker of the night
18. @Porker of the night (left) and me (right) Not that it needs explaining!
Cheers for having a ganders
The shelter is situated under a wooded and triangular plot of land, between 4-5 acres in size, on the west side of Ashley Road. Past researchers have been unable to find out for certain who the original owner was, but it was believed to be 'a lady at Durdans', which implies Lady Sybil Grant, the daughter of Lord Rosebery. We will return to that later, since it is relevant to the mystery surrounding the shelter's beginnings.
The official version says that the land was requisitioned by Surrey County Council on 8 February 1941 for the purpose of building a shelter costing £26,658 (about £1.3 million in today's money). Please note for future reference that there is nothing in the reports to suggest that construction had already begun, although this cannot be ruled out. However, it seems unlikely that the Council would have commenced such works before they had purchased the land.
To quote from a report prepared in 1992 by Building Management South East for Property Holdings Thames South, 'The shelter is formed of a grid of tunnels bored and cut into the chalk and flint sub-strata and variously lined with brickwork or metalwork. There are two main ventilation/access shafts, one at the north-east and another at the north-west corner of the shelter (these have been capped in concrete for safety reasons), and a further shaft rises centrally from the north end (no visible surface opening).' There was also a metal-capped shaft at the south end.
'The entrance tunnel and all tunnel intersections are brick lined and the remaining tunnels are lined with either open mesh or galvanised corrugated iron sheeting, supported on various types of steel-sectioned portal frames.'
The Explore
Visited with @Porker of the night . My oh my was this a stubborn old girl, the rewards were mighty fine, quite possibly the best kept deep shelter I have ever laid my eyes upon. This was a multiple f*ck pig of trips before we waved our magic wand and appeared inside, but persistence and determination paid off. We were down there for a good few hours.
On to the pictures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. @Porker of the night
18. @Porker of the night (left) and me (right) Not that it needs explaining!
Cheers for having a ganders
