Pallion, St. Joseph's Primary School, air raid shelter

HER Number:
16524

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Pallion, St. Joseph's Primary School, air raid shelter

Place:
Pallion

Map Sheet:
NZ35NE

Class:
Defence

Site Type: Broad:
Civil Defence Building

Site Type: Specific:
Air Raid Shelter

General Period:
Modern

Specific Period:
C20

Form of Evidence:
Physical Evidence

Description:
Large air raid shelter consisting of four rectangular blocks of corridor that extended over an area of 66.8m in length by 18.5m wide and was constructed using precast concrete panels following a plan known as the covered trench design. The shelter served St Joseph's RC School and the local community. Each block of corridors were interconnected and accessed by three entrances (one located between each block). The four blocks each measured a standard size of 11m x 18.6m. The layout of each block was generally standardised with three alcoves at each block that houses a chemical toilet. Blast walls were installed thoughtout the length of the shelter. The shelter was fully excavated in 2011 ahead of the redevelopment of the site. The western side was particularly well preserved and with the exclusion of the roof survived to its full height. The eastern portion had been heavily disturbed. No evidence of internal fixtures and fittings were found.

Easting:
3804

Northing:
5723

Grid Reference:
NZ38045723

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
TWM Archaeology, 2010, St Joseph's Primary School, Pallion, Sunderland - Geophysical Survey; TWM Archaeology, 2010, St Joseph's Primary School, Pallion, Sunderland - Archaeological Evaluation; TWM Archaeology, 2011, St Joseph's Primary School, Pallion, Sunderland - Archaeological Evaluation