Possible Second World War Home Guard shelter, near Liston Lane (EHER 20084)

A probable Second World War Home Guard shelter - a concrete 'box' with entrance facing north and dimensions of 2 metres square by 2 metres high. The roof was probably formerly covered by a thick layer of earth.

1998. Field visit. Hidden in small trees and bushes on the east side of a footpath is a small, one-roomed concrete structure possibly, even probably, of WWII vintage. It measures externally 8’6 long x 7’2 wide with an entrance 3’2 wide x 5’ high on its north face. The walls are 10/12 thick with a concrete roof about 6 thick. The entire structure is partly buried in an earthen bank with earth on the roof. Inside there is a single room measuring 7’6 long x 5’3 wide. The height is around 6’. The floor is possibly earthen beneath deep leaf mould and rotted wood. The entire building appears to have been constructed by pouring concrete between wooden shuttering planks on the outside and, unusually, upright tree trunks each perhaps 6 in diameter on the inside. This has left the inside with scalloped walls all round as the wood has rotted away. There is no sign of a door on the entrance. The purpose of the structure is not known. It is too small and too roughly constructed for a British Resistance hideout which would, also, probably not be built on a defence line in this case the Eastern Command Line. Ammunition shelters were of a standard, more sophisticated, design. It is possibly a food/provisions dump constructed by the local Home Guard. Six photos of site. <1> NRHE data transfer: Probable Home Guard shelter - a concrete 'box' with entrance facing north, 2m square x 2m high. Constructed in hedge bank, roof approximately at ground level, steps down to entrance. Walls 0.35m thick, roof 0.15m thick. Roof was probably once covered by thick layer of earth. It is located on a footpath from Bridge House on Lisson Lane, Long Melford, some 250m from Lisson Lane. <2>