A succession of public air-raid shelters were provided in the Dane John Gardens during the Second World War. On the eve of the conflict, work began on a timber-lined public trench air-raid shelter shelter here. Such ‘timber trench shelters’ were among the earliest shelters provided for public use in Canterbury, and this was the first of four groups of shelters, of differing construction, which would be provided in the gardens. One local source recalled seeing, on 1 September 1939, ‘council workmen digging air-raid shelters’ in the Dane John Gardens. In mid September 1939, due to vandalism, one of entrance lights was found to be insufficiently obscured for blackout purposes, and required attention. The shelter was approved for use on 9 January 1940, and in 1942, was listed as providing room for 593 persons. In mid March 1943 rot was discovered in the timber shoring. Following the Nodal Point Conference of May 1941, new pre-cast concrete shelters were proposed for the gardens, making use of materials left over from abandoned air-raid-shelter schemes outside the new defensive perimeter. In late August tenders were invited for ‘wiring’ these new trenches (providing electric light); additional latrines were provided in mid November. The new shelters, providing accommodation for 1018 persons were used alongside the old timber-shored ones. They were distinguished from the latter in being called the ‘Dane John Mound,’ rather than ‘Dane John’ shelters. Later in the war, two groups of Nissen-hut air-raid shelters were built in the Gardens, which are the subject of separate entries. Extant shelters built into the rampart of the City Wall seem to have been built for the storage of shells rather than as public shelters. Extensive earthworks (presumably belonging to the concrete-trench shelters?) can be clearly seen in immediate post-war aerial photographs, west of the Dane John Mound. The grid-reference given is for these earthworks, which since been wholly smoothed-away. Perhaps the other group of shelters was on the east side of the mound.
Owner : Public
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : Destroyed
Date of visit :

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). SKE14892.

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). Ske14892.

Peter Holmes, 01/01/95, "And We All Got Under the Table": Under Fire 1939-45 A VE Day Commemmoration (Bibliographic reference). SKE14893.

Peter Holmes, 01/01/95, "And We All Got Under the Table": Under Fire 1939-45 A VE Day Commemmoration (Bibliographic reference). Ske14893.