Coulsdon Deep Shelter
August 2013
This large public air raid shelter is one of four which were proposed and built by Surrey Council at the beginning of WW2, the others being at Epsom Downs, Ashley Road in Epsom and Kenley. Coulsdon was built within the grounds of Cane Hill Asylum. In 1951 the shelter was moved in by Cox, Hargreaves & Thompson who specialised in the manufacture of optics for telescopes. Most of the internal fixings and equipment seem to date from around this time. The tunnels provided ideal conditions for their manufacturing processes. However, in the early 1970's the company left the shelter. Sometime after this it was used as a garage (evident with the amount of engines and miscellaneous parts lying around) for some time. But the shelter was too cold and damp for working on cars so it was abandoned again. Since then it appears to of been used as a dump for car parts before it was sealed up by the local council.
This large public air raid shelter is one of four which were proposed and built by Surrey Council at the beginning of WW2, the others being at Epsom Downs, Ashley Road in Epsom and Kenley. Coulsdon was built within the grounds of Cane Hill Asylum. In 1951 the shelter was moved in by Cox, Hargreaves & Thompson who specialised in the manufacture of optics for telescopes. Most of the internal fixings and equipment seem to date from around this time. The tunnels provided ideal conditions for their manufacturing processes. However, in the early 1970's the company left the shelter. Sometime after this it was used as a garage (evident with the amount of engines and miscellaneous parts lying around) for some time. But the shelter was too cold and damp for working on cars so it was abandoned again. Since then it appears to of been used as a dump for car parts before it was sealed up by the local council.
