Monument record ORF 067 - Bomb Ballistics Building circa 1933

A Bomb Ballistics Building of inter-war date is visible on aerial photographs, as a structure on the shingle to the east of King's Marshes, centred on circa TM44554920. The building was used in controlling the bombing range and probably dates from 1933. It was initially used by the Orfordness Research Laboratory but its use expanded in the 1930s and continued through World War II. From 1941 onwards the building is surrounded by a square of black and white markers, no doubt to increas the visibility of the building to approaching pilots. (S1-S4).

2007: Field survey of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment by Historic England (S5).
Structure H1: The ground floor of the building is constructed from mass concrete with a single room, which is open to the north. Its door jambs are infilled with brick and probably originally held a double wooden door. Internally the upper storey is suppor ted by two original RSJs and two modern galvanised steel portal frames, which have replaced two vertical I girder columns. At the top of the southwest corner is a single vent opening. On the floor of the bay are two large concrete plinths and on the walls the scars left by the removal of electrical equipment. Above this bay is a first floor brick built observation room. This is entered from a modern galvanised steel staircase leading to set of double wooden doors in its east wall. The stairs also give access to the roof observation platform. Its southeast corner is cut away and there is an angled wooden observation window. In the west wall is a steel framed window, perhaps dating to the 1950s, in its north wall is a 12 light metal framed window, both windows have concrete sills and lintels.

GRADE II LISTED BUILDING (S6)
MATERIALS The Bomb Ballistics building comprises a mass concrete ground floor storey with brick observation room above.

PLAN The building has a square plan, with a smaller observation room at first floor.

EXTERIOR Measuring c. 8m x 4m , the Bomb Ballistics building stands nearly 7m in height. The ground floor of the building comprises a single room open to the north. Its door jambs are infilled with brick and probably originally held a double wooden door. Above is the flat-roofed observation room approached by a modern, galvanised steel staircase leading to double doors in the east elevation. Its south east corner is cut away and there is an angled wooden observation window. In the west wall there is a steel-framed window, probably dating to the 1950s, in its north wall is a 12 light, metal framed window with concrete sill and lintel. The stairs also give access to the roof observation platform. On the south west corner of the roof is an armoured steel observation point.

INTERIOR On the interior of the ground floor there are two large concrete plinths on which were mounted a ground speed camera and a camera obscura with plotting table (no longer present). Two original RSJ’s and two, galvanised steel frames of 1995 support the upper storey.