The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Good morning/afternoon/whatever applies!



I wondered if any of you oldies could shed some light on a subject I've never been able to get to the bottom of...



I've been told by various people whilst growing up in Accrington that there's an old bomb shelter either on or around the Coppice area?.. This might as well be urban myth as far as I’m concerned though because although I’ve spoken to people who assure me they’ve seen it/been in it, no one’s ever been able to tell me where exactly this ever elusive spot lies!



I’d like to think that I know the Coppice and it’s surrounding area like the back of my hand, I used to go running there regularly.. so if it does exist, WHY CANT I FIND IT?!?





If anyone could offer any information that might help clarify things then it would be gladly appreciated.



It may be that my bad memory is responsible for fostering this erroneous belief in my mind, but I’d like to know for sure, it would be awesome to find any truth behind it all.





Thanks for listening, I know I’m not exactly brilliant at writing..


your loving village idiot
Wez

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

hmm, maybe I should stop hitting return so much when I write..

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

The only air raid shelters I can think of are buried opposite the childrens play area,
when I was kid I remember seeing the concrete supports buried there.I imagine they#
were there to protect the people playing bowls,and any kids playing on the play grounds.There was also a barrage ballon installation in the field at the top of Peel Park
Avenue,were the new houses have been built.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Ther were also two large brick shelters built on the car park,they were knocked down inthe early fifties,the shelters mentioned above I broke into those in the fifties during
the school holidays,there was allsorts of stuff in there,old gas masks,torches,coins.
tin plates & cups all very interesting.Dreaded going back to school though in case
Mr Hinchcliffe found out.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Thanks for the insight! Must be that anyone my age I've heard about them from were just lieing about being there..

On a lighter note what's a barrage ballon? I know of the thing in question, I thought it was the frame from an old cannon or something, the Accrington Pals once used that field for training; is it left over from their day?

..Am I asking too many questions?

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

A balloon attached to winch by a cable,when the balloon was winched out the balloon
would climb up extending the cable in hope that enemy aircraft would collide with cable.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

no wez keep the questions coming , it keeps the brains on here working, glad of your imput its intresting.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Don't know about coppice but we came across one in the grounds of Lee Royd Nursery in the early 80's.
But take care, the "lighting" in that one was STILL CONNECTED and LIVE, connected straight back to sub-station, NORWEB had no record of it, live jointers were called in to make it safe.The shelter was then demolished.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Thanks people!

It's been an education!

I can go home now!! Woo hoo!!

I love exclamation marks!!!!!!

seya tomorrow!

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Don't know about the coppice but there is or was some sort of air shelter/building near the top of Hambledon. Remember going up there loads of times when i was younger. Made out of brick and buried in the ground. Maybe it was something to do with the dummy airfield that was built up there during WW2 or is that a made up story ive fallen for....lol

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

REALLY?

WOW!

I know there's some wind shelters or something along the walls near Mitchell's Lodge... Or possibly you mean Gamblers caves? Which have been demolished incidentally :(

I'll look into this, not as though I should be working or anything.....

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I used to play in the air raid shelter on Royds street in the 60s, it was across the road from Lee Royd nursery, we found old bed frames down there. It was very spooky.It was filled in and is now a car park.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Is that the one between Sandy Lane and Manchester Road Janet?

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

there used to be something over the west end of ossy.As akid they used to get dubbed "The Fairy Caves" they were situated near Lower Aspin Farm.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I also got told of a POW camp over Stanhill.Got told it was for Italian POWs

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Wez, the one i'm on about was near woodnook secondary school Hudson street,near the phone box (if it's still there) and royds street near lee royd nursery. There was also a shop opposite the phone box.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

In 1947 there was an air raid shelter at the top of Derby St, and one at the top of Hood st. They were approx. 3m by 9m. i.e. to my young eyes I was only a kid and my impression was they were large. They were both demolished before 1949. They were constructed of red brick and had a concrete flat roof. with one entrance on the pavement side. I wish dad had of taken a photo of them. Has anyone got any?

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I know where you mean now Janet =)

I'm going to ask around for pictures Terry, I wouldn't mind seeing some myself..

Watch this space!

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Gamblers Caves demolished !!!! ****** used to go up there all the time as a kid, why did they demolish them ??

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I've got an Anderson shelter in my back garden.....

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Tell me about it shurm.. sucks eh?

Incidentally, what's an Anderson shelter?

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Its Smiffys bedroom in the garden lol Yeah it sucks Wez not too many people knew of them I used to walk the dog up there in the Summer, whats it look like now ??

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

You sure, Smiffy? If it is, you need to get English Heritage round and get the thing listed....

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I think it's a stone quarry now mate... looks, like a quarry, yeah.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Is it have you been up and seen it or just seen the area from the motorway ?? I used to love it as a kid going up there it was well spooky at night lol

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I didn't think it was visible from the motorway.. but yeah, it's FUBAR mate.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Its already listed Tealeaf :)

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

If you walk up Sandy Lane the road forks just after what i think is a Masonic Hall;there is what looks like a huge red brick curved wall;that is an old air raid shelter;its at the bottom of a friend's garden and you can still get in it from their garden{if you are equipped with a ladder & a torch!**
Been in it once;very dark and damp and somewhat claustrophobic.
I think the street level entrance is bricked up and should still be visible from Sandy Lane/Adelaide St.


!

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Are you sure its not a BUNKER for HBC council members, in case of an emergency.:D

If it's a true "air raid shelter" yer friends could make a bob or two, open it up fer public viewing :D

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

I know the coppice still has the bunkers n part of a cannon up there used to hide in the bunkers tho a bit bad if it flooded in there tho n i was told thats where the Accy Pals practiced whether its true or not dunno

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

The Air raid Shelter on the Coppice is definately there. I remember as a kid going up the Coppice with my mates and playing in the air raid shelter. This is when there was no trees. It is located on the west side of the hill about half way up and as you look from it towards Accrington you would be more or less looking straight down Bold St. I can assure you that it is still there. When I mentioned it to my 13 year old son he told me that he had been up to it recently and that it was flooded. I do remember as a kid that inside there was a spring running through it behind a retaining wall. The room measured about 10 foot square. Perhaps it only floods when we get heavy rain.
As for the Gamblers Caves I was up there last summer and the big cave was still there but the small one had been filled in. The quarry work had finished 3 years ago, so I guess the big cave is still there.

Re: The Coppice/Air raid shelter
 

The Air raid Shelter on the Coppice is definately there. I remember as a kid going up the Coppice with my mates and playing in the air raid shelter. This is when there was no trees. It is located on the west side of the hill about half way up and as you look from it towards Accrington you would be more or less looking straight down Bold St. I can assure you that it is still there. When I mentioned it to my 13 year old son he told me that he had been up to it recently and that it was flooded. I do remember as a kid that inside there was a spring running through it behind a retaining wall. The room measured about 10 foot square. Perhaps it only floods when we get heavy rain.
As for the Gamblers Caves I was up there last summer and the big cave was still there but the small one had been filled in. The quarry work had finished 3 years ago, so I guess the big cave is still there.
NOTICE i HAVE A BAD HABIT OF REPEATING MYSELF