Air-raid shelters were provided for the junior pupils of St John’s Council School during the Second World War. These were a pair of brick-built, surface air-raid shelters, each intended to accommodate 956 scholars and staff. A large complex of concrete air-raid shelters can be seen in immediate post-war aerial photographs, in the school field across the River Stour (by footbridge) from the school (the infants had separate shelters in the school yard). Given their size and visibility, in late August 1940 it was suggested they be camouflaged; but this was adjudged unnecessary. At some point, probably later that year, these shelters were made available for public use outside school hours - access to the shelters was advertised as being from St Radigund’s Place. The shelters were damaged in the raids of the start of June 1942.
Owner : Public
Publicly accessible : No
How accessed for survey :
Tourism Potential :
Condition : Destroyed
Date of visit :
(1 and 2)

Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). Ske14932.

<1> Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee, 01/01/39, Canterbury City Council Emergency Committee Minute Books 1 to 6 (Unpublished document). SKE14932.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2011, Kingsmead School, St John's Place, Canterbury, Kent: Provisional desk-based assessment & historic buildings appraisal (Unpublished document). SKE17428.