Monument record 4135/0/2 - Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Post at Saughall

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Summary

This was a site occupied by the Royal Observer Corps. The Corps originally monitored aircraft during World War 2, however at the end of the war they were disbanded. In 1947 they were reformed and initially monitored aircraft, with raised 'Orlit posts' being the most characteristic structure. Structures of this period are normally little more than re-enforced huts and could be semi-sunken, at ground level or raised. However as aircraft got faster and Radar got more advanced this side of their job was phased out. Instead they were assigned to detect nuclear fallout in the event of a nuclear war, to warn the population of the fallout and to monitor the fallout. It was for this purpose that the later underground monitoring posts were constructed. On the surface there would be an entrance hatch, ventilator and fixings for survey probes. Underground there were usually two chambers, one with a chemical toilet and another with the monitoring equipment and bunks. Many of these sites survive as small fenced off enclosures in semi rural areas.

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Type and Period (3)

Full Description

Destroyed (1) In the North West corner of a field at the end of a line of telegraph poles at the end of a farm track. 100 yards West of Hermitage road. Apart from the telegraph poles there is no trace of anything. The post was closed in 1981 in a regional reorganization (2). Moved from SJ368693 [CSMR 4135/0/1] in January 1938, it was post 1 in cluster C of group 7. It changed in December 1952 to post 4 in cluster H of group 19, and had an elevated Orlit post installed after this date. In February 1959 the post was moved to underground, and finally in October 1968 it was changed to post 3 in cluster D of group 17 (3).

<1> CBA, 2002, Defence of Britain Project, 2306 (Digital Archive). SCH4380.

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

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

<4> W D Cocroft and R J C Thomas, 2003, Cold War - Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946 - 1989 (Book). SCH4466.

Sources/Archives (4)

<1> SCH4380 Digital Archive: CBA. 2002. Defence of Britain Project. 2306.
<2> SCH4457 Digital Archive: Subterrania Britannica. 2002. The Royal Observer Corps - Observer Corps Post Database.
<3> SCH4456 Report: C S Dobinson. 2000. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Volume XI 2 - The Cold War.
<4> SCH4466 Book: W D Cocroft and R J C Thomas. 2003. Cold War - Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946 - 1989.

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Location

Grid reference	SJ 366 693 (point) 8 Figure Ref
Map sheet	SJ36NE
Civil Parish	SAUGHALL, CHESTER, CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER
Historic Township/Parish/County	GREAT SAUGHALL, SHOTWICK, CHESHIRE

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Record last edited

Jan 28 2020 11:36AM