In Gravelpit Wood, known also as Copford Pits Wood, are the remains of a World War Two British Resistance hideout. Its existence has been known locally for many years and in 1974 it was photographed, whilst still in a reasonable and very recognizable state of preservation. Copies of two of these photographs are in the SMR archive.<1><2> The site was dug out of the top of a steep embankment and then re-covered. The 1974 photos show a winding trench around an oak tree, probably the collapsed entrance tunnel. This leads to the open entrance of the main chamber very clearly seen in the photos. This is some 3 feet below the level of the top of the embankment which is grassed over. The entrance is framed in, typically for such hideouts, corrugated steel Anderson shelter sheeting, rusted but still intact at that time. Beyond the length of the chamber, perhaps 15 feet long, the trench continues. Like the entrance tunnel, this is probably where the escape tunnel, standard for such sites, had collapsed.

In 2004, the site was re-visited and re-photographed. <3>. By now, the main chamber itself had collapsed leaving a long, wide gulley in the top of the embankment with the narrower entrance and escape gullies at each end. Covered with fallen twigs, leaves and light bramble the site was by now somewhat difficult to recognise from the clear intact remains seen 30 years earlier. However, the oak tree is an unchanging recognition point. One major change is the addition of a wooden footbridge across the gulley formed by the collapse of the entrance tunnel, alongside the oak tree. This was erected by Copford Pits Wood Trust, with a grant from Rural Action, some time before December 1993.<4>

Visited as part of the World War Two Defences of Rural Colchester project in February 2007, the site is approached via a gateway on the W side of Hall Road at TL 9316 2337. Immediately inside, a wide pathway leads straight into the wood with a high embankment on the right-hand side. After 50 yards, there are wooden steps up the embankment at the top of which is the bridge. The remains of the bunker lie to the left. The widest part of the gulley, formed mainly by the collapse of the main chamber, is very approximately 30 feet long x 10 feet wide, about 3/4 feet deep. The remains of some of the corrugated steel sheeting still stick out of the ground. It is probable that 90 percent of it still remains below ground. Interestingly, some of the ceramic piping which would have been used as a flue for the stove still remains sticking out of the side of the gulley. No brick walling was found at the time of the site visit. The end walls were often made of brick but in this case, as can be seen in the 1974 photos, they were clearly formed from straight lengths of corrugated steel sheeting. The roof would have been made of the same material but curved. Although the entrance and escape tunnels have been assumed it is not known how long these were, nor exactly where the entrance/exit hatches were.

Thirteen photos of site.<5>

SITE ASSESSMENT:
All British Resistance sites are interesting; all are important in the assessment of World War Two defence archaeology. Although this site survived well up to at least 1974 it is now deteriorating rapidly and nothing should be done to increase this deterioration. Interest in WWII remains has grown considerably in recent years. It is recommended that alongside the wooden bridge, erected to enable local people to further enjoy walks through the woodland, an interpretative board should be erected outlining the history of the British Resistance “Auxiliary Units” during World War Two and the significance of the remains at Copford Pits Wood.

See also <6> & <7>.