Oxleas Wood Air Raid Shelter

Can you imagine what it was like to hide beneath the earth during the Blitz? Standing here before the Oxleas Wood Air Raid Shelter, it’s easy to feel a connection to the past. This small concrete structure, shaped like an ‘L’, was built to provide a safe haven for a family during World War II. Although the shelter now stands exposed, evidence suggests that it was once mounded over with soil, totally concealed from view. It was a time when bombs rained from the sky, and the threat of destruction was ever present. This shelter offered a fragile sense of security, a place where families could huddle together and hope for the best. The shelter’s history is even more intriguing thanks to the Bagnold family, who once lived in Warren Wood, a mansion that once stood nearby. The Bagnolds were no ordinary family. Colonel Arthur Henry Bagnold, a local historian, resided in Warren Wood from 1903 until his death in 1943. His son, Brigadier Ralph Alger Bagnold, was the founder and first commander of the British Army’s Long Range Desert Group during World War II. And his daughter, Enid, was an author and playwright, famed for the 1935 story “National Velvet,” later filmed in 1944 starring Elizabeth Taylor. Now, imagine the Bagnold family, shielded from the horrors of war in this very shelter, their lives intertwined with history. Today, standing in the shadow of this shelter, it’s easy to feel the weight of history. The Oxleas Wood Air Raid Shelter is a tangible reminder of the courage and resilience of the people who lived through the Blitz, a testament to their determination to survive and rebuild.