Property for sale

Berwick Lane, Hallen, Bristol BS10

**block viewing scheduled for Tuesday 9th September - Please contact the auctioneer to arrange a suitable appointment**

For sale by Public Auction on Thursday 25th September 2025 at Leigh Court, Pill Road, Abbots Leigh, BS8 3RA and online at 7.00pm.

A rare opportunity to acquire a secure underground Royal Observer Corps (roc) bunker located in the rural outskirts of Hallen, Bristol. This self-contained underground facility is discreetly embedded into the hillside, offering a private and secure space with a range of potential uses.

Originally constructed during the Cold War era, the bunker retains authentic roc furniture and fittings, preserving its historical integrity. The internal layout comprises a small access shaft leading to underground rooms designed for operational use.

Positioned on elevated ground, the site offers expansive views over the Mouth of the River Severn, although the bunker itself remains hidden and unobtrusive. Access is typically via a locked hatch entrance and ladder descent, consistent with original roc specifications.

This is a highly unique listing, as only around 1,500 such roc posts were built across the UK, with many now decommissioned or lost. It presents a unique investment opportunity for buyers with an interest in military history, secure storage, or rare architectural assets. No residential planning permission is in place.

Access Arrangements:
To access the property, please book a block viewing so the vendor can organise access across her private agricultural pasture land in which her animals remain. For safety reasons, please ensure you wear appropriate footwear (walking boots or wellington boots) and durable clothing, as access may involve walking through bushes where minor scratches or grazes are possible.

Auction Details:
• Venue: Leigh Court, Pill Road, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3RA
• Date: Thursday 25th September 2025
• Start Time: 7:00pm
• Bidding Options: In room, online, proxy, telephone

*Guides are provided as an indication of each seller's minimum expectation, they are not necessarily figures which a property will sell for and may change at any time prior to the auction. Each property will be offered subject to a Reserve (a figure below which the Auctioneer cannot sell the property during the auction) which we expect will be set within the Guide Range or no more than 10% above a single figure guide.

Entrance

Upon entrance to the bunker, you are met with a steel shutter hatch and a metal vertical ladder leading down to the bunker.

Room One

An internal room housing, the original furniture and fittings, an authentic wall light timer, air funnel, ceiling light.

Cloakroom

A cloakroom with the original rudimentary chemical WC.

Outside

Exterior

On approach to the property, you are met with agricultural pastureland leading to a concrete entrance with a steel shutter door to the bunker.

Services

Battery powered electricity, no mains connected services. The vendor has advised that mains water can be connected to the site if required. This service would be subject to a yearly charge.

Tenure

Freehold.

History

The Hallen roc Post is a well-preserved example of a Cold War nuclear monitoring facility—compact, functional, and emblematic of civilian preparedness during the era. Though inaccessible to the public, it remains of historical interest as part of Britain’s civil defence network.

Location & Setting

Situated on a ridge overlooking the Severn Estuary, the bunker lies about 50 yards north of a public footpath off Hallen Road and approximately 100 yards north of the M5 motorway.

Purpose & Role

Constructed in 1960 and closed in 1991, it was one of approximately 1,563 underground roc monitoring posts established during the Cold War. Operated by civilian volunteers, these posts measured nuclear explosions intensity, timing, and radioactive fallout and reported their findings to help assess strike locations and severity.

Design & Features

The standard layout includes a vertical access shaft, a compact monitoring room with bunk beds for a crew of two to three, and a rudimentary chemical toilet. Instrumentation included a Bomb Power Indicator, a fixed radiation survey meter, ventilation shafts, and pipes for attachments—typical elements still visible at Hallen.

Access

To access the property, please book a block viewing so the vendor can organise access across her private agricultural pasture land in which her animals remain. For safety reasons, please ensure you wear appropriate footwear (walking boots or wellington boots) and durable clothing, as access may involve walking through bushes where minor scratches or grazes are possible.

Please Note

The integrity and structure of the property is ‘sold as seen’ and in addition there may well be some fixtures, fittings and chattels left at the property which will become the responsibility and ownership of the purchaser upon legal completion of the transaction.