A Second World War air raid shelter was excavated during an evaluation at St Mary Bredin School, Canterbury in 2016. "The air raid shelter formed a linear passageway, aligned north-west to south-east, 15m long by 1.4m wide internally, and had two return ‘entrance’ passages located at either end, extending to the north-east and continuing beyond the limit of excavation" (from the original report, 2). Another excavation report (1) describes the shelter as a Stanton-type modular design, measuring 15.2x1.6m.

The materials used to construct the shelter include a combination of reinforced concrete traverse struts (0.16m thick), and reinforced concrete panels (measuring 0.9x0.68x0.06m). "The shelter comprised of ten such adjoining modules extending between two entrance passageways, each 1.3m wide, leading to the north-east, and a further single module at either end which could be screened off for provision of toilet facilities. Concrete plinths, four of which survived at the shelter’s south-east end, were bolted onto each transverse strut on either side of the shelter’s interior and would have formed supports for timber benches" (from the original report, 1).

The air raid shelter was located above archaeological remains dating from the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval periods. (1-2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2016, Former St Mary Bredin School, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent CT1 2RH: Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE55912.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd., 2016, St Mary Bredin School, Rhodaus Town (A28), Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2RH: Progress Report (Unpublished document). SKE55913.