In mid 1940 it became clear that there was insufficient air-raid shelter accommodation in Canterbury and a scheme was drawn up for eight new communal surface shelters, each to house fifty persons. This seems to have been modified, slightly, and the resulting shelters were based on modules each housing forty eight. These were to be built of brick and concrete. One of these, approved toward the end of July, was for a shelter in the High Street, on an ‘open space adjoining [the] Forester’s Hall,’ to house ninety-six. The location in question is obviously that of the present War Memorial, adjoining 47 High Street (the site of the Foresters’ Hall, now a department store). This was the former ‘site of the church of St Mary Bredman, Canterbury’, which had been dismantled in 1900 and planted as a small garden. This would clearly have been an ideal place for a shelter in the densely built-up town centre. As an alteration to church property, however, the shelter’s construction required Faculty permission from the Dean and Chapter. In August, Mr G.A.Stone’s tender was accepted to build the new surface shelters, and this was soon completed. Toward the end of March 1941 a concrete floor was provided. In early April 1941 simple decontamination facilities were provided at the shelter, and in February 1942 it was strengthened with reinforced concrete. Mayor Williamson later recalled business at the Petty Sessional Court, circa late September 1940, which was held in the Guildhall a little way away on the opposite side of the street, being interrupted by an intense aerial battle overhead: ‘we all took shelter … the Magistrates in the crypt of the guildhall and the rest of the Court in the surface shelter outside’.
Owner : Unknown
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Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). SKE14921.

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). Ske14921.

Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral, 01/01/40, Faculty papers, parish of St Mary Bredman (Unpublished document). SKE14923.

Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral, 01/01/40, Faculty papers, parish of St Mary Bredman (Unpublished document). Ske14923.

Williamson C., 01/01/46, Though the Streets Burn (Bibliographic reference). SKE14922.

Williamson C., 01/01/46, Though the Streets Burn (Bibliographic reference). Ske14922.