A listed building World War Two gas decontamination centre is hidden within a Yorkshire car park

This seemingly insignificant building in Horbury, a small town in the Wakefield district, was built in 1939 as a World War Two gas decontamination centre for civilian use, located next to Horbury Town Hall.

It still has the original steel airlock doors and windows with blast protection, although some of the windows are now cracked.

Horbury and Ossett’s Rotary Club Steve Brook, said: “Horbury is an amazing place to live with hidden gems around every corner.”

Local Historian Christine Cudworth helped get the building listed in 2019.

The National Heritage List for England is a register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

According to Historic England, it is one of the best preserved purpose-built centres of its kind in the country .

Christine previously told the Yorkshire Post: “Having lived in Horbury since 1958, I have been aware of the decontamination unit for a long time.”

“But I only found out what it actually was in the 1990s, when I started interviewing people about their experiences during the Second World War and recording their memories.”

Horbury itself is steeped with history, Horbury Village’s website says: “Recorded in the Domesday survey as “Orberie.”

Horbury’s fascinating architectural features include a number of notable mediaeval and Georgian buildings interspersed with an interesting mixture of Victorian properties.”