Report - Foxenden Quarry Deepshelter, Guildford May 21

[TheTimeChamber]

It is, we managed to go for one of the heritage days, but hung around at the end for the council to show us around without other visitors.

 

[Jane Doe]

Love the signage and lovely and clean ...great photos

 

[derelictth92]

Had quite a few message me regarding entry location etc. I wouldn't of posted here if I knew it wasn't resealed trust me the owners have gone overkill to make sure people are kept out

 

[Funkymunkster]

Been somewhat of a childhood dream to get into this place very local to myself aswell I was over the moon.

Foxenden Quarry Deepshelter is in Guildford, Built in 1941 underneath a car park on York Road. It was a purpose built public air raid shelter for the people of Guildford. It was one of eighteen other air raid shelters and tunnels in the area, all of which varied in size and were mostly converted cellars and basements. There was also a system of trenches nearby that originated prior to the Foxenden Shelter. The shelter was constructed in 1941 by JB Edwards and Co (Whyteleafe) Ltd in a chalk quarry and was designed to accommodate 1000 people. It was in use until about 1944 when it was deemed that the threat had passed. During the latter periods of use from 1942 it was used for food storage and was considered a candidate for to be converted into a Civil Defence Corps reporting centre. This did not happen however and by 1945 the shelter was surplus to requirements and was closed for good. It then sat in this sealed condition until it was ‘discovered’ during the construction of the car park. This has caused it to remain in a near perfect, undamaged and un-vandalised condition. There was talk of a whisky distillery being set up in there in 2017, however this never happened.

The shelter is situated about 50 feet underneath the public tennis courts. Evidence of the surface structures can be seen alongside the tennis courts, these being the block houses at the top of the emergency exit shafts both of which are comprehensively sealed. The shelter is constructed by first having tunnels cut out of the chalk, which are then lined with two courses of bricks. The rear most course of bricks on either side is slightly higher than the inward side to provide a ‘step’ to allow the sharply angled ‘V’ shaped roof to fit. This provides an inherently strong structure. The void above the roof was then packed with spoil to further strengthen the shelter. The floor is concrete throughout and some tunnels remain unlined.

The shelter has a 1st Aid post, three toilet blocks (male and female) two combination air vents/ exit shafts and a shelter marshall’s office. There was also a bay set aside for the children of Sandfield School. There is also evidence of running water, electricity and lighting and air circulation in some of the bays but interestingly the toilets lack flushing water or plumbing unlike some deep shelters.

The local council did do tours of the place until it was deemed unsafe and was closed permanently in 2010


The explore

Thanks for looking

Absolutely staggering
It's a shame the tours had to stop but fantastic that you were able to access and document (and share ) the site
Wartime structures are often quite sobering sights.
No pun intended.
Thanks for the info and pics

 

[Lord Oort]

Had quite a few message me regarding entry location etc. I wouldn't of posted here if I knew it wasn't resealed trust me the owners have gone overkill to make sure people are kept out

Can confirm, had a look thursday, very sealed.

 

[SoutheasternExplorer]

Jealous is an understatement! I live about 100 meters from the entrance to Foxenden deep shelter and check the doors regularly to see if someone's left it unlocked. Gutted I missed this!

 

[Jack430T]

Checked it out the other day, both entrances well sealed

 

[K_RYPTO]

Been somewhat of a childhood dream to get into this place very local to myself aswell I was over the moon.

Foxenden Quarry Deepshelter is in Guildford, Built in 1941 underneath a car park on York Road. It was a purpose built public air raid shelter for the people of Guildford. It was one of eighteen other air raid shelters and tunnels in the area, all of which varied in size and were mostly converted cellars and basements. There was also a system of trenches nearby that originated prior to the Foxenden Shelter. The shelter was constructed in 1941 by JB Edwards and Co (Whyteleafe) Ltd in a chalk quarry and was designed to accommodate 1000 people. It was in use until about 1944 when it was deemed that the threat had passed. During the latter periods of use from 1942 it was used for food storage and was considered a candidate for to be converted into a Civil Defence Corps reporting centre. This did not happen however and by 1945 the shelter was surplus to requirements and was closed for good. It then sat in this sealed condition until it was ‘discovered’ during the construction of the car park. This has caused it to remain in a near perfect, undamaged and un-vandalised condition. There was talk of a whisky distillery being set up in there in 2017, however this never happened.

The shelter is situated about 50 feet underneath the public tennis courts. Evidence of the surface structures can be seen alongside the tennis courts, these being the block houses at the top of the emergency exit shafts both of which are comprehensively sealed. The shelter is constructed by first having tunnels cut out of the chalk, which are then lined with two courses of bricks. The rear most course of bricks on either side is slightly higher than the inward side to provide a ‘step’ to allow the sharply angled ‘V’ shaped roof to fit. This provides an inherently strong structure. The void above the roof was then packed with spoil to further strengthen the shelter. The floor is concrete throughout and some tunnels remain unlined.

The shelter has a 1st Aid post, three toilet blocks (male and female) two combination air vents/ exit shafts and a shelter marshall’s office. There was also a bay set aside for the children of Sandfield School. There is also evidence of running water, electricity and lighting and air circulation in some of the bays but interestingly the toilets lack flushing water or plumbing unlike some deep shelters.

The local council did do tours of the place until it was deemed unsafe and was closed permanently in 2010


The explore

Thanks for looking

Iv lived around there for years and never knew it was there that's a shock and a lovely surprise wow

 

[scaler]

Cracking report. Gonna try this location myself

 

[derelictth92]

Cracking report. Gonna try this location myself

Completely sealed up tight now local council welded the doors shut

 

[scaler]

Completely sealed up tight now local council welded the doors shut

well there goes that XD ive got a few locations to fall back on

 

[CantClimbTom]

WOW I've never seen or heard of one in condition like that!!