This site was one of two. The other being at Faldingworth in Lincolnshire. This is the more unusual in that it was sold off as originally constructed and was not on an airfield site as was Faldingworth, and was rapidly taken over as a small industrial estate. Very little has changed. A few small buildings have been added and one large weapon store has been demolished. Yellow paint is much in evidence as the pictures show, but it is otherwise amazingly intact.

The "tford" of Thetford Heath runs across the access road to Barnham top site at the top of this map. It gives an idea as to the general layout. The road shown by dotted lines to the camp on the right of this site was the route for the armed guards to enter and leave the premises. It still crosses land owned by the military and the camp exists still for other purposes now. The buildings radiating from the circular road in the site are in the most secure area. They are the main bomb stores and admin buildings. Not shown at this scale is the surrounding fences and walls and the core store buildings, which are around the larger buildings. On the road in to this area are standby generator buildings and a picket post. The actual entrance to the secure area is by two rail mounted electric gates, now gone. There are five perimeter watch towers and a post on top of a centrally place building. Huge earth and concrete blast walls and revetments surround the buildings. It was still all above ground and vulnerable to air attack though!


First along the road into the site from the public road is the private access road for the armed guards from their camp. Then the picket post. Next along the road are two standby generator buildings. This is one, seen from the public road. Note that the site was lit by street lighting and would have been less obscured by trees when built in 1953. This was a secret place, but easily visible! The yellow paint is modern.


This is one end of the building on the entrance/exit junction to the circular road. It shows the original concrete construction, discoloured only by time. This building has a beam inside for a travelling crane and may well have been used to service the weapons. The other end of the building is painted and in use as a car repair shop, next picture. Both ends of this building are shielded by blast walls.


The main bomb stores are arranged off the circular road. The left hand one was demolished and this is where it was, giving an impression of size.


The remaining two bomb stores are intact and in use for commercial purposes. The one at rear of the circular road has a straight crane gantry and the one at right has one canted to match its position, as per the following two pictures.




The entrance to both buildings is through original steel doors. There are office spaces either side of the entrance. These were originally used for ventilation and air conditioning equipment for the bomb stores.


This picture shows the rail track for the powered gate , one of two, restricting access to the secure area.


Press browser BACK button to return to Chemical and Nuclear Weapons, or;