Lancashire At War.co.uk
Exploring the hidden history of War sites in Lancashire
Padiham Air Raid Shelter
In Padiham Memorial Park, there is a rather unique air raid shelter. According to the display board at its entrance, it was probably built by
Archie Sullivan, Harry Riley and George Helm.
Its tunnels make an "E" shape and are constructed with steel frames and concrete panels.
It looks a foreboding place to go to on a dark night when bombers could be heard rumbling overhead. I wonder how often it was used. Today, it is a beautifully maintained communal space with rose gardens and trees.
Top Left: The suspected builders building another air raid shelter.
Top Right and Bottom Left: Inside the shelter.
Bottom
Right: An artists impression
of a plan of
the shelter.
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Interestingly, the display board claims Padiham would have been under threat of German bombers because of its relative closeness to a decoy site at Hambledon Hill ("30 seconds flight away").
This was one of five sites situated on the nearby moors to protect Accrington. Read more about them on OUR DECOY SITE PAGE HERE.
Today the air raid shelter is home to a colony of brown long eared bats.