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Monument details

HER Number:TR 03 SW 17
Type of record:Monument
Name:Royal Observer Core underground monitoring post, Hamstreet

Summary

Underground Royal Observer Core post for monitoring nuclear explosions and fallout. The post was built in 1961 and abandoned in 1991. The site is now locked but instrument tubes are visible above ground.

Previous post structure is part brick, part shuttered concrete construction. Possibly dating to the period between 1943-1953. Hamstreet site is one of 27 original used for training the newly established Royal Observer Core in 1925. Thought by the No1 group Royal Observer Core Association to be a world war 2 post.

Summary from record TR 03 SW 30:

This post structure approximates to a Type A Orlit, but is also of part brick, part shuttered concrete construction. It possibly dates to the 1943-1953 period. The Hamstreet site is one of the original 27 posts used for training the newly established Royal Observer Core (ROC) in 1925. The site is thought by the No1 Group ROC Association to be a world war II post. Within the same compound is a ROC underground monitoring post dating to 1961 (TR 03 SW 17).


Grid Reference:TR 0068 3330
Map Sheet:TR03SW
Parish:ORLESTONE, ASHFORD, KENT

Monument Types

Full description

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ROC underground monitoring post (1961) with adjacent earlier post structure still standing. Standard monitoring post, access and ventilator shafts. Instrument tubes visible above ground.

Previous post structure approximates to type A Orlit, but is part brick, part shuttered concrete construction. Poss 1943-1953 period. Ham St site one of original 27 post used for training newly established ROC in 1925. (1) Thought by the No1 Group ROC Association to be a WW2 post. (TR 03 SW 30)(2).

Description from record TR 03 SW 30:
Post structure approximates to Type A Orlit, but is part brick, part shuttered concrete construction. Poss 1943-1953 period. Hamstreett site one of original 27 post used for training newly established ROC in 1925. Thought by the No1 Group ROC Association to be a WW2 post. Within the same compound is a ROC underground monitoring post (1961). (TR 03 SW 17)(1)


English Heritage, 2001, Cold War Monuments: an assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme (Unpublished document). SKE17446.

<1> CBA Defence of Britain Project, 1994, Defence of Britain Site Report (Bibliographic reference). SKE6447.

<1> Kent Defence Research Group, 1999, Ravelin Special No.8 The Royal Observer Corps: Underground in Kent & Essex (Monograph). SKE7996.

<2> Kent Defence Research Group, 1999, Ravelin Special No.8 The Royal Observer Corps: Underground in Kent & Essex (Monograph). SKE7996.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
---Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2001. Cold War Monuments: an assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme.
<1>Bibliographic reference: CBA Defence of Britain Project. 1994. Defence of Britain Site Report.
<1>Monograph: Kent Defence Research Group. 1999. Ravelin Special No.8 The Royal Observer Corps: Underground in Kent & Essex.
<2>Monograph: Kent Defence Research Group. 1999. Ravelin Special No.8 The Royal Observer Corps: Underground in Kent & Essex.

Related records

TQ 75 NE 389Part of: No 1 Group Royal Observer Corps (ROC) HQ, London Rd, Maidstone (Monument)