Sunderland, Seaburn, 37 Park Avenue, air raid shelter

The air raid shelter in the north-west corner of the rear garden of 37 Park Avenue was recorded in February 2016 ahead of its demolition. The structure was partly sunken with brick walls of two leaves laid in three course English Garden Wall bond. Over these was a reinforced concrete roof, cast in-situ, with clear impressions of the formwork timber used in its construction. Latterly the roof had been re-used as the base of a greenhouse. The whole rectangular construction measured approx 3m x 2m at its external extents. The air raid shelter was accessed by a straight flight of 8 pre-cast concrete steps at its south-east corner. No significant phasing or alteration of the structure was noted.