Monument record 2941 - Faddiley Royal Observer Corps Underground Monitoring Post

<1> W.D.Cocroft, 2001, Cold War Monuments: an assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme (Report). SCH4336.

The Post at Faddiley is a well preserved example of an Underground Monitoring Post which closed in 1968. It has been considered for scheduling in 2001.

<2> Subterrania Britannica, 2002, The Royal Observer Corps - Observer Corps Post Database (Digital Archive). SCH4457.

A general description of underground monitoring posts follows. Construction of these posts began in the late 1950’s and was largely complete by 1965. The posts had three main tasks: to confirm that a nuclear attack had taken place and its location; to estimate its power; and to monitor the passage of radioactive fallout. Underground monitoring posts were the most numerous structures built during the Cold War. A total of 1518 were built (1026 in England). The number of active posts was nearly halved in 1968 due to the diminished risk of attack and to reduce defence expenditure. Surface features usually comprised of an entrance hatch, ventilator, a flanged plate to which the survey probe was attached, and a pipe to which the baffles of the bomb power indicator were fixed. Internally the post was usually divided into two chambers. The one at the bottom of the access shaft contained a chemical toilet and led into the larger second room which contained the monitoring equipment, bunks, a desk, batteries for power and a hand operated ventilation system. Following a survey of Cold War monuments all of the posts have been located, while field work has shown that they all conform to the same standard design. Sites that are deemed to be of national importance are those that remain structurally intact and where fittings remain.

At the end of a line of telegraph poles on the South side of a farm track running North past Bank Farm from th A534 Wrexham road. 200 yards North of A534. All surface features remain intact. The hatch is open but the counter balance weight has become detached making it difficult to lift. Much remains below ground including twin bunks and single bed, all with mattresses, folding table, shelf, cupboard, battery box, large splint, waste bin, bars of soap, some papers, several GPO batteries. It is usual for the telegraph poles to survive at a site closed in 1968.

<3> C S Dobinson, 2000, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Volume XI 2 - The Cold War (Report). SCH4456.

Probably built in 1938, it was post 1 in cluster B of group 27. It was changed to post 2 in cluster N of group 16 in December 1952. In August 1959 the post was moved underground, and finally in October 1968 the post was closed.

<4> Bluesky International Ltd, 2010, 2010 Bluesky Survey, UXP_101011_5704, 11/10/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5444.