Holkham Park Patrol

This OB is situated on the Holkham Estate, owned by the Earl of Leicester. This is private property.

The OB was built lengthwise in the side of a pit near the northern edge of mature woodland (Scarboro’ Wood), about 150 metres to the west of the wall surrounding Holkham Park. A footpath runs along the perimeter wall, a permissive byway leads past at about the same distance to the north-west.

The main chamber measures 3 x 5 metres and is orientated E/W -- -- 187ft ASL. The main chamber has brick end walls (in situ) and was accessed via a drop-down brick-built shaft situated at the north-western corner.

The entrance shaft exact depth could not be established because it is filled in with soil and debris. The top of the shaft has a ‘crown’ of crudely shaped concrete which would have accommodated the cover, of which there is no trace. Niches in one of the shaft’s walls, created by intentionally missing bricks, appear to have been used as ‘steps’. We believe that there is a good chance of the counterweight lying at the bottom of the shaft, covered with soil and debris. The entrance was a drop-down brick-built shaft partially filled in, entrance opening 0.60 x 0.90m. Brick-lined emergency exit tunnel in situ but without roof, 6 metres long. Small toilet area, small storage area, both 0.60 x 0.60m approx.

Adjoining the entrance shaft is a 0.30 x 0.40m iron grille set into concrete, serving as the OB’s vent.

Curved corrugated sheets forming the roof of the main chamber have corroded from the base upwards and collapsed, with the northern-most section of the roof having become dislodged and pushed against the south wall, presumably by soil sliding downwards from the pit’s slope, creating a tunnel that is about one metre wide at its widest point and about the same height at its highest point.

Both brick-built end walls, with a central doorway in each, are in place but missing the roof above.

The emergency exit passage turns off at right angles, leading away from the exit doorway in southerly direction, down towards the bottom of the pit.

The passage is filled with soil but the top of its brick walls being the same height as the main chamber’s end walls indicate that the exit passage would have been at least man-high and hence could have been passed walking upright.

There is a small 0.60 x 0.60m chamber beside the exit opening by the south-eastern corner, which presumably served as a toilet area.

Outside the exit opening, which has retained the original corrugated iron sheet that served as its roof, the walls continue to be brick-lined for about a further 3 metres, gradually declining in height. A small square area,  presumably used for storage, is situated at the end of the brick-lined passage which would have been covered with flat corrugated sheets. Corroded sections of corrugated iron sheets, some still affixed, can be seen on the ground alongside the exit passage.

Other physical remains in the area are small sections of flat corrugated iron sheets, concrete vent opening with iron grille 0.30 x 0.40m.