Monument record TR 04 SW 131 - Air raid shelter, South School, Ashford

Communal air raid shelter built during WW2, waterlogged. Underlying playground on the West side of the school building. Single corridor trench type, in zig zag plan, 3 staircased entrances,and 1 vertical hatch to the north of the shelter. Single toilet chambers at each end of the staicases containing elsan chemical buckets in situ. The shelter was formed of pre cast concrete wall and ceiling panels and poured concrete floor. Timber benches along sides of walls present also back rests, and fixtures for hanging and lighting. Constructed on cut and cover principle.(1) An historic building survey was carried out prior to demolition of the shelter to make way for development. The building consists of 4 shelter rooms, one doorway per room. Each doorway gave through a right-angle turn to their own airlock passage, giving access to the shelter room behind. The westernmost airlock wall was destroyed in post-war years and later still, the 3 remaining entrances were fitted with timber benching on brick bases to form seating areas for the school children. Sheets of timber were placed over the room entrances. The western 3/4 of the shelter are in near original state. At the time of this survey, the eastern half of the shelter contained stored school items. The outside of the north elevation of the wall was inaccessible due to restrictions preventing school children, including a fence that forms a boundary with a neighboouring private property. (2)

<1> Untitled Source, Smith. Victor Jun (1997) Air raid shelter at South school, Ashford. (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<2> Victor Smith, 2006, The Air Raid Shelter at Ashford South Community Primary School: Historic Building Survey (Unpublished document). SKE13030.

<3> Victor Smith, 1997, The Air Raid Shelter at the South School, Ashford, Kent: historic building survey (Unpublished document). SKE54718.