It appears that exploring on a sunday has grown into a regular thing with my friend ( he still needs to make an account here). So we thought we'd explore what Wigan has to offer (as we are both local) and gain experience at easier sites.
This weekend it was the Air Raid Shelters underneath Mesnes park.
Walking to the site we passed a couple of kids, one of them had hurt her foot on a nail inside the old college. She seemed ok, but we advised she wash the cut ASAP.
History
During the Second World War, Wigan was a target for the Nazi bombing raids, due to a munitions factory in Beech Hill and a Steel Mill/Iron works located near Mesnes Park. A collection of tunnels and Air Raid shelters were built under the park and remain there today. These were built to house the workers and local residents and were big enough to hold a couple of hundred people.
(I have found an old German targeting map or the area while researching the site. The area of the Mill is blacked out, I guess so that its easily identifiable to a bomber.
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=8&id=14202&gallery=ready+for+war&offset=0 )
This weekend it was the Air Raid Shelters underneath Mesnes park.
Walking to the site we passed a couple of kids, one of them had hurt her foot on a nail inside the old college. She seemed ok, but we advised she wash the cut ASAP.
History
During the Second World War, Wigan was a target for the Nazi bombing raids, due to a munitions factory in Beech Hill and a Steel Mill/Iron works located near Mesnes Park. A collection of tunnels and Air Raid shelters were built under the park and remain there today. These were built to house the workers and local residents and were big enough to hold a couple of hundred people.
(I have found an old German targeting map or the area while researching the site. The area of the Mill is blacked out, I guess so that its easily identifiable to a bomber.
http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=8&id=14202&gallery=ready+for+war&offset=0 )