Inside rare 1950s Cold War bunker built to detect impending nuclear attack – and it could be yours for £20,000
LIVE HISTORY Inside rare 1950s Cold War bunker built to detect impending nuclear attack – and it could be yours for £20,000
THE inside of a rare 1950s Cold War bunker - built to detect impending nuclear attacks - has been revealed.
Buried 15ft underground in the Norfolk countryside, the former Royal Observer Corps (ROC) dugout was once part of a huge network of posts up and down the country.
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The bunker was part of an early warning system to detect impending nuclear attack
Credit: SWNS
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It consists of two rooms - and would have been kitted out with basic furniture
Credit: SWNS
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The bunker contains an odd jumble of historic knick-knacks
Credit: SWNS
And now, the bizarre slice of history, consisting of two rooms, has hit the market - and could be yours for just £20,000.
The bunker was built in 1957 in Dersingham, a quaint village in the west of the county - part of an early warning system to detect possible attacks and calculate their fallout.
It was manned by trained uniformed volunteers from the 1950s through to 1991, when the last posts were closed and either demolished or sold off.
Most remaining posts are in a derelict condition - marking this one as a particularly rare find.
A metal ladder leads you down 15 feet into the bunker - which has two compartments.
The smaller one contained the toilet, while the larger one was used for observation and sleeping.
While in use, it would have been kitted out with standardised furniture in the form of canvas chairs, a folding table, shelf, cupboard and a pair of metal-framed bunk beds.
Three vital pieces of equipment would also have been housed here: the Fixed Survey Meter, the Bomb Power Indicator and the Ground Zero Indicator.
As well as the bunker, the site also features a concrete hut above ground.
The Class A Orlitt hut first emerged in key locations around the country to allow the ROC to monitor and assess possible attacks by aircraft.
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Each hut was designed to house three observers, with each volunteer tasked with specific duties.
The hut, together with the bunker, were built in response to the heightened threat of nuclear war back in 1957.
Mark Upston, of East Anglian Auction House, said: "This is truly a special opportunity for those who are drawn to properties with historical significance.
"This post was once a vital part of our defences and will be a treasured asset to a buyer keen on preserving our past."
The bunker will be auctioned on May 8 with a £20,000 guide price.
It comes after another unusual property also hit the market - this time for the rather greater price of £3.5 million.
The impressive estate near Cardiff came complete with three kitchens, an orchard, stables - and even its own football pitch.
But it came with a warning: not only was it right next to the A4232 - it was also just 0.8 miles from the M4.
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A metal ladder leads you down 15 feet underground
Credit: SWNS
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The bunker is located in the quaint village of Dersingham, Norfolk
Credit: SWNS
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It was formerly operated by the Royal Observer Corps (ROC)
Credit: SWNS
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The property also features a concrete Class A Orlitt hut above ground
Credit: SWNS
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Three observers frequented the hut to monitor and assess possible attacks by aircraft
Credit: SWNS
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