Building 78, former RAF Barnham atomic bomb store

Building 78 is a former mess hut at RAF Barnham, constructed in the early to mid-1950s. It was built as part of the Special Storage Unit, which supported RAF airfields holding atomic bombs, following the issuance of Britain’s first nuclear bomb, Blue Danube, in November 1953. The facility was fully operational by July 1954 and remained in use until 1963.

The building is rectangular in plan and constructed with a resin-bonded plywood frame and a timber-framed roof, clad in flat asbestos cement sheeting on both sides. It is assembled on a grid pattern of 4 feet by 3 feet 6 inches. The exterior features standard steel single, double, and tripartite casement windows, and a double door at the west end. A shallow-pitched roof completes the exterior.

Internally, the structure remains largely intact with no introduced partitioning. Some original quarry tile flooring remains.

The Special Storage Unit held the Mark 1 atomic bomb and later supported second and third generation British nuclear weapons. The purpose of the facility was to provide maintenance and refurbishment to support the airfields, and to hold spare warheads. Initial construction included security fences, earthworks, storage hutches, inspection buildings, and gantries, followed by barrack accommodation, a gymnasium, a telephone exchange, a meat preparation store, and a dog compound. Security was further strengthened with a double fence and observation towers. The site was sold in 1966 and subsequently used for light industrial purposes.