History
Dodge Hill is one of three public air raid shelters in Stockport, along with Brinksway and Chestergate. The deep level shelters were the largest purpose built civilian air raid shelters in the country, Dodge Hill being the smallest of the three with a capacity of around 2,000. The shelters were first opened in October 1939 although Stockport was not bombed until almost a year later, on 11th October 1940. The tunnels at Dodge Hill run for 200m, passing below St Mary’s Church. The tunnels are carved into the large sandstone embankment beneath Heaton Norris; due to the soft composition of the hillside the work was completed in only 4 months by a team of men with pneumatic drills and other hand-tools. The design of the shelters ensured a fresh air supply from the street level; cool fresh air flowed down into the tunnels while the warmer stale air rose back up and out again. The shelters were closed and the entrances sealed in 1948.
The Explore
This explore was the first for me in a long time, so as I left work for the day and headed off to Stockport I could have been described as 'slightly giddy'. The entrance to the tunnels was pretty easy to find after a leisurely clamber down the embankment and then we were in! There’s not much left in there other than the old triple bunk bed frames, toilets, old wiring and evidence of other people having been down there. We also found out that if you knock the toilet divide walls in the right way it makes a noise that, when you first do it, will make your heart drop into your boots with a healthy amount of fear, which was nice. We stopped down there for a quick picnic tea then made our way back out while the evening was still young.
Dodge Hill is one of three public air raid shelters in Stockport, along with Brinksway and Chestergate. The deep level shelters were the largest purpose built civilian air raid shelters in the country, Dodge Hill being the smallest of the three with a capacity of around 2,000. The shelters were first opened in October 1939 although Stockport was not bombed until almost a year later, on 11th October 1940. The tunnels at Dodge Hill run for 200m, passing below St Mary’s Church. The tunnels are carved into the large sandstone embankment beneath Heaton Norris; due to the soft composition of the hillside the work was completed in only 4 months by a team of men with pneumatic drills and other hand-tools. The design of the shelters ensured a fresh air supply from the street level; cool fresh air flowed down into the tunnels while the warmer stale air rose back up and out again. The shelters were closed and the entrances sealed in 1948.
The Explore
This explore was the first for me in a long time, so as I left work for the day and headed off to Stockport I could have been described as 'slightly giddy'. The entrance to the tunnels was pretty easy to find after a leisurely clamber down the embankment and then we were in! There’s not much left in there other than the old triple bunk bed frames, toilets, old wiring and evidence of other people having been down there. We also found out that if you knock the toilet divide walls in the right way it makes a noise that, when you first do it, will make your heart drop into your boots with a healthy amount of fear, which was nice. We stopped down there for a quick picnic tea then made our way back out while the evening was still young.
