Been a while since I posted anything, life got busy and I got sick (again) which put exploring on the backburner for a bit. Anyhow a couple of weeks ago I paid another visit to the lovely county of Kent and after a bit of general mooching, off I went to check out another shelter (can you tell those are my favourite?!) This was a harder explore for me because it required a lot of climbing, something I find difficult due to my joints being absolutely useless when it comes to supporting my weight. I was in some pain for about 4 days after this but it was worth it! I apologise for some shots not being the best; my camera was dying so had to take a majority of shots on my phone.
Anyway, enough about me, here's a bit of history on the place:
The company W T Henley has always been highly regarded for the manufacture of cable and electrical components and was clearly the company of choice when a system had to be devised as a countermeasure to the growing threat of German magnetic mines during the Second World War. As a result, a new site was constructed in 1939 in Gravesend for W T Henley and a complex of tunnels built underneath Rosherville gardens, the piece of land between the factory and the cliff face, to provide air raid shelter for the company’s employees and likely the local residents - W T Henleys did not own the land the shelter was built under at the time and the sheer size of the system suggests members of the general public likely also sought shelter here during the blitz. It's estimated that the shelter could hold at up to 2,000 people at full capacity.
With at least six entrances, the air raid shelter was very clearly signed internally to ensure that there was no confusion when looking for your allocated space. Cut into chalk and lined with prefabricated concrete, the shelter tunnels were well laid out, including first aid areas and numerous latrines – in the form of Elson buckets.
(info sourced from Subterrania Britannica & Derelict Places)
Anyway, enough about me, here's a bit of history on the place:
The company W T Henley has always been highly regarded for the manufacture of cable and electrical components and was clearly the company of choice when a system had to be devised as a countermeasure to the growing threat of German magnetic mines during the Second World War. As a result, a new site was constructed in 1939 in Gravesend for W T Henley and a complex of tunnels built underneath Rosherville gardens, the piece of land between the factory and the cliff face, to provide air raid shelter for the company’s employees and likely the local residents - W T Henleys did not own the land the shelter was built under at the time and the sheer size of the system suggests members of the general public likely also sought shelter here during the blitz. It's estimated that the shelter could hold at up to 2,000 people at full capacity.
With at least six entrances, the air raid shelter was very clearly signed internally to ensure that there was no confusion when looking for your allocated space. Cut into chalk and lined with prefabricated concrete, the shelter tunnels were well laid out, including first aid areas and numerous latrines – in the form of Elson buckets.
(info sourced from Subterrania Britannica & Derelict Places)
