Monument record ORF 155 - Magazine circa 1962

2007: Field survey of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment by Historic England (S1).
Structure E5: The Magazine is a reinforced concrete building comprising an entrance passage, two storage bays and a rear ventilation passage. The west and east sides of the building are revetted by a shingle traverse and there are traces of lightning conductor copper straps on the structure. The exposed roof surfaces of the Armoury are covered in Asphalt. To the east the entrance passage comprises a drive through barrel vaulted passage, orientated roughly north to south surfaced with a hard smooth concrete surface. Its total width is 4.58m (15ft)and internally it measures 5.18m (17ft)in height to the vault ceiling. Its entrances were closed at either end by now missing wooden outward opening doors, width 3.35m (11ft) set 2.68m (8ft 10ins)from the end of the south passage. To the south of the southern doors in the west wall is a recess containing the remains of an electrical control panel. To the west of the main doors are smaller wooden pedestrian doors clad on either side with metal sheeting, a sign on their exteriors reads ‘emergency exit keep clear’, above each of these doors are the remains of adjustable metal louvred vents. A small plastic sign on the north door records ‘No.1A’, . .a similar sign on the south door records ‘No.2A’. Within the passage at eaves height are fixing plates on the west and east walls that probably mark the position of an overhead travelling crane. On the walls of the passage are a number of sealed magazine lights. To the west of the passage are two self-contained barrel-vaulted storage bays, formerly closed by double wooden outward opening doors, width 3.05m (10ft), height 3.63m (13ft). Entry to both the bays was over a toeboard, batons and screw holes at the entrance mark their positions. Internally the south bay measures 7.45m (24ft 6ins) x 4.55m (15ft), height 5.12m (16ft 10ins), its floor is surfaced in grittless asphalt and it is lit by two sealed florescent light units. It is ventilated to rear by a rectangular opening sealed by a plywood unit covered in aluminium with four copper vents. It cost £29,000 The north bay is larger and measures 9.15m (30ft) x 7.45m (24ft 6ins)with a height of 5.12m (16ft 10ins), its floor is also covered by grittless asphalt and it was lit by four florescent lights, to the rear it was vented by two rectangular vents with wooden covers. At some point there has been a fire in the north bay. Above each of the internal storage bays is a vertical ventilation shaft capped by a metal vent.

The two bays vent to a passage way to the west which is entered from the south through a single wooden door, its entrance way revetted against the shingle traverse by concrete wing walls. Within the passage way is a metal header tank, an electrical switch box and junction box, possibly for heaters.

SCHEDULED ANCIENT MONUMENT (S2).