Welcome to the
Abbey Circus Air Raid Shelter
Hello and welcome to the website for the Abbey Circus World War 2 Air-Raid Shelter project. Here you will find all you need to know about this exciting project that brings the local West Bridgford experience of the Second World War to life. In addition to some information on the history of the air-raid shelter and the experience of the war in Nottingham, you will also be able to find information about our school study days, visits, available resources, and news items. Why not start with a quick look at the air-raid shelter by clicking on the stamp below for a sneak peek.
The Abbey Circus World War 2 Air-Raid Shelter project is led by Chris Reynolds, Professor of Contemporary European History and Memory Studies at Nottingham Trent University. It has brought together a range of local partners and stakeholders including Rushcliffe Borough Council and Jason King with the objective of opening and developing an abandoned Air-Raid Shelter in the heart of West Bridgford so that it can become the centrepiece of a bespoke study day for local school children. For more information, please click the image below.
As part of a programme of detailed air-raid precautions in West Bridgford in preparation for the Second World War, the Abbey Circus communal shelter was one of 11 whose construction started in September 1939. The work on this concrete shelter, conceived to hold 100 persons, was carried out by Messrs. W. & J. Simons, Limited, of Gordon Road, West Bridgford, and was completed in April 1940.
Many residents had Anderson shelters in their gardens. Others used Morrison shelters or basements in their homes, and some residents even built their own concrete shelters in their gardens. The grounds of local schools were also used to house air-raid shelters. Click the stamp to find out more.
The Abbey Circus World War 2 Air-Raid Shelter project has been conceived to help provide a valuable learning resource for local primary schools. The opening and development of the shelter has enabled the creation of a comprehensive study day that features expert talks, World War 2 artefacts discovery, role play with an ARP Warden, and of course, a visit inside the shelter for a range of immersive activities. Click on the image below for more information on the study days we offer.
In addition to opening and developing the air-raid shelter for visitors, a bespoke set of exciting resources were commissioned and developed by Nottingham Trent University Illustration students in the School of Art and design. This creative content included signage for the shelter site, an animated film to be projected on the interior of the shelter, and an activity leaflet for each school pupil enabling them to continue their exploration of their local history following the study day and visit. Click on the stamp below for further details on these resources.
Here you will find all the news from the frontline. This will include updates from all our study days and visits, other related activities with the local community, as well as any local media coverage of the project’s development, and any future plans. Click on the button below to read more.
Here you will find all the remaining information you need about the project, including contact details, information on visits for non-school groups, as well as a gallery of images from the project. Click on the image below for more information.
