Information for record number MWA9565:
Harbury Royal Observer Corps Underground Monitoring Post

Summary Royal Observer Corps Underground Monitoring Post at Harbury. Monitoring posts were to be used for reporting nuclear bursts and monitoring fall-out in the modern period. The post lies on the north side of Temple End approximately 600m west of Harbury village.
What Is It?  
Type: Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Post
Period: Modern (1914 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Harborough Magna
District: Rugby, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 36 59
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection Local
Description

  
Source Number  

1 The primary role of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was the recognition and identification of hostile aircraft. With the start of the cold war and the increasing threat of nuclear attack in the 1950's, the ROC was given the added responsibility of reporting nuclear bursts and monitoring fall-out which necessitated the construction of 1563 underground monitoring posts throughout Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
2On the north side of an un-named minor road. The post was demolished by the MoD at the request of the landowner. All surface features including fenceing were tipped down the shaft and the site bulldozed. Opened October 1960, Closed October 1968.
3 A Royal Observer Corps monitoring post. All surface features including the fencing were tipped down the shaft and the site bulldozed. This site has been mapped from aerial photographs taken in 1961 as part of the South East Warwickshire and Cotswolds HLS Target Areas National Mapping Programme.
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Twentieth Century Fortifications in England, vol XI.1
Author/originator: Dobinson C S
Date: 2000
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: vol XI.1
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: SE Warwickshire and Cotswolds NMP Project
Author/originator: Josephine Janik
Date: 2010-2012
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Royal Observer Corps An Online Survey of the UK's R.O.C and UK W.M.O Monitoring Posts
Author/originator: Subterranea Britannica
Date: 2002
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
technique Aerial Photograph Aerial photographs are taken during an aerial survey, which involves looking at the ground from above. It is usually easier to see cropmarks and earthworks when they are viewed from above. Aerial photographs help archaeologists to record what they see and to identify new sites. There are two kinds of aerial photographs; oblique and vertical. back
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument SHAFT * Use only if function unknown, otherwise use specific type. back
monument VILLAGE * A collection of dwelling-houses and other buildings, usually larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a simpler organisation and administration than the latter. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument FEATURE * Areas of indeterminate function. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument FORTIFICATION * A usually permanent defensive work. Use specific type where known. back
monument AIRCRAFT * An aircraft, either whole or in part. Aircraft often survive as commemorative monuments, gate guardians or crash sites. back
monument UNDERGROUND MONITORING POST * A small underground chamber from where it was intended to monitor radioactive fallout in the event of nuclear attack. The majority were built between 1956 and 1964, although construction continued into the early 1970s. back
monument TARGET * Any structure or object, used for the purpose of practice shooting by aerial, seaborne or land mounted weapons. back
monument TEMPLE * Use for places of worship. For later landscape features use, eg. GARDEN TEMPLE. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record