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Scottish Sun
04-05-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Inside rare 1950s Cold War bunker built to detect impending nuclear attack – and it could be yours for £20,000
The property was one a 'vital part' of Britain's defences 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. 8 The bunker was part of an early warning system to detect impending nuclear attack Credit: SWNS 8 It consists of two rooms - and would have been kitted out with basic furniture Credit: SWNS 8 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. Living in One of the World's Smallest Apartments 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. 8 A metal ladder leads you down 15 feet underground Credit: SWNS 8 The bunker is located in the quaint village of Dersingham, Norfolk Credit: SWNS 8 It was formerly operated by the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Credit: SWNS 8 The property also features a concrete Class A Orlitt hut above ground Credit: SWNS 8 Three observers frequented the hut to monitor and assess possible attacks by aircraft Credit: SWNS
The Sun
04-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
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. 8 8 8 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. Living in One of the World's Smallest Apartments 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. 8 8 8 8 8
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Inside the rare Cold War bunker on the market for £20,000 - and it has a VERY creepy surprise inside
A very rare Cold War bunker hidden in the Norfolk countryside has gone on the market for just £20,000 - with a very creepy surprise inside. Dersingham's Cold War-era Royal Observer Corps (ROC) post was once part of a huge network of observation posts up and down the country. It was built in 1957 as part of an early warning system to detect impending nuclear attack and calculate its fallout. The remarkable remnant of history is set to be auctioned for a guide price of £20,000 on May 8 and is located on the edge of the royal Sandringham Estate. Pictures of the spooky bunker show a metal ladder going down 15 feet into the ground. Inside, there are merely two rooms in total - with the smaller containing the toilet, while the larger room was used for observation and sleeping. But next to the rickety beads and threadbare walls, a bizarre naked mannequin can be seen in the photographs of the listing - making for a very strange sight. With nothing on, and only having a blonde wig and fake eyelashes, the chipped and dented figure adds an eerie feel to the photos of the historic shelter, having clearly been neglected for many years. While in use, the shelter 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. It's clearly of its time - as on the wall there also hangs an asbestos fire blanket. On the shelves, there are old tin cans, while there's an old fire extinguisher in the corner. The Dersingham post 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, which marks this particular one as a rare find. Hidden in the middle of the countryside, its listing makes for an unexpected treat. Three vital pieces of equipment would also have been housed here: the Fixed Survey Meter, the Bomb Power Indicator and the Ground Zero Indicator. The post features two key constructions with a concrete Class A Orlitt hut above ground, and a hidden underground bunker. Both structures were completed due to the heightened threat of nuclear war. The Orlitt hut first emerged in key locations around the country to allow the ROC to monitor and assess possible attacks by aircraft. Each hut was designed to house three observers, with each volunteer tasked with specific duties. 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.' In recent months, following growing threats of World War Three, Brits have been scrambling to get their hands on such shelters. Hollow shells ready to be dug into a fearful resident's garden are being flogged on eBay for nearly £10,000. Royal Observer Posts, designed to protect observers 15ft below the surface, are being snapped up for well over their asking price. Specialist companies are even offering to build fully-fitted prefabricated structures - saying they have seen a huge increase in inquiries following the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Cold War bunker on the edge of Sandringham could be yours... for just £20,000
A Cold War-era former observation bunker on the edge of the royal estate at Sandringham in Norfolk is going up for auction on 8 May with a guide price of £20,000. The Dersingham Royal Observer Corps post was once part of a large network of observation posts up and down the country which were constructed as part of an early warning system to detect impending nuclear attacks and calculate their impact. The Dersingham post is buried in the land on the north-east side of Chalk Pit Road and has been well-preserved. The site was built in 1957 and has two components: a concrete orlit hut above ground and a hidden bunker underground. Both structures were completed due to the heightened threat of nuclear war at the time. The orlit hut first emerged in key locations around the country to allow the ROC to monitor and assess possible attacks by aircraft. As the danger from aircraft diminished and the possibility of missile attack increased, underground monitoring posts were subsequently constructed to provide additional protection. The Dersingham post was built in 1957 and was Post 12 of Group Six in Norwich. A metal ladder leads down 15 feet into the bunker area, which was constructed in a uniform style. The site only has two rooms. The smaller of the two contained the toilet, while the large room 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 crucial pieces of equipment would also have been housed here, namely the fixed survey meter, the bomb power indicator and the ground zero indicator, according to Auction House. Each hut was designed to house three observers, each tasked tasked with specific duties. The Dersingham post and hundreds of other posts were manned by trained uniformed volunteers from the 1950s through to 1991, when the last posts were closed and either demolished or sold off. Setting: The Dersingham post sits in a parcel of land with stunning countryside views While many are now derelict or no longer exist, the Dersingham post remains intact and has been in private ownership since 1992. The site could be re-equipped to echo the post's heyday and become a miniature museum, or turned into a unique getaway for the new owner. It could potentially even be used as a pop-up campsite. Auction House said: 'The 28-day rule means that the land can be used for temporary stays for up to 28 days in a calendar year without planning permission being needed.' Auction house area manager, Mark Upston, 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.' Buying at auction Where possible, always visit the property in person before the auction. Read legal documents for the property carefully and, when possible, get advice from a solicitor before heading to the auction. Sometimes, the legal pack includes 'special conditions' that mean you might also be liable to pay an additional three per cent fee to a sales agent. Before submitting any bids, always check what sort of price similar properties in the area have sold for. This will, of course, be harder if it is a more unusual property that you are after. If you do bid, do not get carried away and bid more than you can afford. Most properties bought via auction have a 28-day competition date and home loans for auction properties can be harder to get. How to find a new mortgage Borrowers who need a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is ending, or they are buying a home, should explore their options as soon as possible. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you What if I need to remortgage? Borrowers should compare rates, speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act. Homeowners can lock in to a new deal six to nine months in advance, often with no obligation to take it. Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added to the loan and only be charged when it is taken out. This means borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees. Keep in mind that by doing this and not clearing the fee on completion, interest will be paid on the fee amount over the entire term of the loan, so this may not be the best option for everyone. What if I am buying a home? 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