Having been buried under an earth bund during the period of gravel extraction that took place at what is now Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, but which during World War II was Ibsley Airfield, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust unearthed this largely intact “blast shelter” while undertaking river restoration works of the Dockens Water river a few years ago.
Located in woodland in the floodplain of the river and viewable from the small car park at the entrance to the Education Centre at the Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve
Located in between Ivy and Rockford Lakes on the edge of the Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve this World War II structure is a remnant of the Ibsley Airfield and identified by Gareth Owen of the New Forest NPA as probably being a pill box.
There is no access to this structure but it is easily viewed from the permissive footpath that runs north/south from Ivy Lane to Ellingham Drove, between the two Lakes – look out for it on the edge of the steep bank of Ivy Lake when you are more or less opposite the Alice Lisle pub that can be seen on the other side of Rockford Lake!
Visitors should not access this, or other WWII structures within the Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve – the landowner does not consider them safe to enter and many of them are used as regular roost sites by bats. This particular Stanton Air Raid Shelter is NOT a known bat roost but it is more probable than not that it is used by bats infrequently, and it is illegal to disturb a bat roost without a bat licence.
Visitors interested in the local history are of course very welcome to view the outside of this and other WWII buildings from the permissive footpaths through the reserve.
You can find out more about Ibsley Airfield in this overview article, which has links to other articles relating to Ibsley Airfield.
