Bunkers driving me bonkers! what the heck are these buildings

Hi Emma

I would refer you back to an earlier post in this thread

As it could have been built in the late 1920's I don't think that the possibility of WW2 was on the horizon, even if it was built as late as 1937 (it is shown on your 1937 map so probably at the latest, constructed in 1936) I am at a loss as to work out how someone might know what to build for what specific military purpose, 3 years prior to the start of conflict. It may be that they were built for testing some kind of military equipment.
I think it would be best to answer your question, to find out who owned the land at that time (military, agriculture, scientific etc) and when it was actually built. Knowing that then perhaps the records office still has an application form or council minutes that might provide answers. It might be possible that the building firm who constructed them still exists and that records are on file. At the moment speculation, in my opinion, will not resolve your query, facts are what you need.

TD

 

Yeh I know (

Have spoken to the local archivist at Shropshire Archives, scoured records, diaries, maps and local history books etc, spoken to a curator at regimental museum with 26 years working there and he had no idea either, but did think definately military

Local council have no records of it. The guy that owns the land inherited it from his father who has died so he has no idea at all. Have sent a query off to IWM just in case

Thanks to everyone though for all ideas and input, much appreciated

 

Hi Emma

The present land owner uses the land for?? - is he following on in the same tradition as his father, who used it for??, he I assume, knows what his father did with the land.

TD

 

He was left the in the will, he has never used it for anything, father before owned The Longmynd Hotel,Tiger hall and a few houses, father sold all of those and kept the woodland (where buildings are sited) have asked the present owner what the buildings were for, no clue, he never asked his father! I even went to see Longmynd owners this afternoon and they have no records either lol - i hate to say I give up, but what was something that seemed to be easy to research has become a challenge, wish i wasnt so curious lol

 

From this link - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22861

"Stretton's reputation as a health resort in a quiet corner of England and its Edwardian inheritance of large houses attracted convalescent and other homes and, particularly during the world wars, hospitals. In the First World War Church Stretton had housed Belgian refugees, (fn. 40) and Essex House had been a V.A.D. hospital. (fn. 41) In the 1930s, and perhaps for longer, the Odd Fellows Friendly Society had Holmwood as a convalescent home. (fn. 42) On the outbreak of the Second World War St. Dunstan's, the charity for rehabilitating men and women blinded on war service, was evacuated to the town from the south coast and remained until 1946. Hotels and other premises were requisitioned, a hospital was established in Tiger Hall, and workshop huts were built in the town and in the grounds of the Longmynd Hotel and Brockhurst. Staff and V.A.D. houses too were needed, and the town 'had a marvellous talent for producing houses and sites'. (fn. 43) Later the county council used Holmwood as an old people's home (fn. 44) and (in 1977) built May Fair House, with 50 places for old people. (fn. 45) In the 1980s, when the view prevailed that private and voluntary homes could offer more choice, (fn. 46) seven registered homes in the Strettons afforded 97 places, 9 of them (in Arden House, an Edwardian villa) for mentally ill people; in Shropshire only Shrewsbury had more. (fn. 47) Private residential homes continued to increase (c. 1990 Sandford House hotel became a residential nursing home), (fn. 48) and the county council converted Holmwood to a children's home c. 1987 and closed May Fair House in the 1990s. (fn. 49)"

Is it possible that these buildings are for particular types of convalesent's for the Odd Fellows friendly Society ?? or perhaps some type of isolation wards etc - ie for medical use.

TD

 

Very possible that they were used for these purposes, think probably more for isolation/medical as they are frankly "a bit basic" lol. each building has a large iron tank in front of each one, maybe for water?

St Dunstans was moved to Stretton in 1940 so maybe used the buildings but didnt build them. Holmwood is right across town from the buildings so not sure if they would have gone that far over to use them

I love a challenge but this is really frustrating, just thought with so much knowledge on internet, there would be some reference to them

Em

 

Hi Emma,

Came across this today, they may be worth contacing if you have not already done so:

http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-1096-1/dissemination/pdf/archaeol4-89835_2.pdf


TD

 

I rang them and they didnt take note of the buildings as they were on private land and not part of Rectory Fields
Am off to speak with the guy from the Development company

 

I grew up in church stretton, i even worked in the longmynd hotel in my teenage years but only noticed these "bunkers" about 3 years ago. Having seen many on the french and british coast and the german defence network in what is now modern day Poland I am convinced that these are not just some expansion of some hospital, but have a more militaristic use. We may never find out the real reason for these constructions as I believe the people who built them have taken this information to their graves.

 

I was hoping these abandoned buildings had a WW2 connection, however I heard from a local that the owner of Tiger Hall was something of a cement magnet. He was commissioned to supply some prefabricated buildings and apparently the 'bunkers' were his prototypes.

 

Get sight of the RAF films of 1947/8 at County Archaeologist

 

This is pretty much what I was told they were built for. My Grandfather told me years ago, and this might be incorrect from my memory - The owner of Tiger Hall built them as prototypes or test pieces as he created ******* cement.
He couldn't recall what the cement was but it was along the lines of Portland or Blue Circle. But from records it was neither of these.

Also, regarding the ropes with knots mentioned earlier. These used to run down from ST Dunstans through the nearby wood to the road and from there the blind were able to find their way into Church Stretton town via the road.

 

Some of the buildings look pretty heavily built for civvy concrete prefab buildings, with ARP type features, such as very thick roofs, walls and no windows in the main portion. Are these a later WW2 addition to the site? Could the open sided buildings be used to wheel bed patients into quickly?

 

The buildings are too far away from the hall / hospital and the grounds are grass banks so would be difficult to move any kind of beds around.
Also of note regarding the cement structures, the whole of the Tiger Hall estate is surrounded by a high cement / concrete wall. The theme continues everywhere on the estate.
Tiger Hall is a strange eccentric place and at one time had cement statues in recesses of the retaining wall that just looked odd compared to the surroundings. There is also Tiger Lodge next door which is a cement / concrete fort like construction.

 

hi,
that looks very much like a ROC post, or the surface part of it... and 16 group I think.
regards,
dave...

 

yes Dave thats what it is