Rhydymwyn Valley Works.

The Rhydymwyn Valley Works was aqquired by the Ministry Of Supply in 1938 so that a purpose built chemical weapons production and storage plant could be constructed.

The Valley Works was a mile in length with over and underground manufacturing and storage sections, unlike other Royal Ordanance Factories, the Valley Works solely produced chemical munitions including Mustard Gas.

It was also shrouded in secrecy and was once one of the most classified sites in the UK, along with chemical weapons being produced on a mass scale the Valley Works also had a hand in much more darker projects.

Rhydymwyn also carried out testing and enriched Uranium for the first Atomic Bomb, some of the scientists involved would later become involved in the Manhatten Project, Americas race to produce the first Atomic Weapons.

In 1952, the UK adopted a nuclear deterrence defence policy and the chemical stockpile was disposed of between 1959, when the site was decommissioned, through to the late 1960s.

The Valley Works also has another distinction. It was the only UK wartime installation never located by German intelligence.

Up until 1994 the site was used by the Ministry Of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (MAFF) to store supplys in case of national emergencies.

The site is now owned and managed by DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and has since been turned into a nature reserve.

Since becoming a nature reserve the site has become home to some rare species of bats as well as other wildlife, permission needs to be obtained in advance to visit, theres also 24 hour security too due to the fact of the rare bats that inhibit the site.

We where refused entry to the site for no reason? but not discouraged we still managed to find a way in.

As with the majority of WWII sites little of the original interiors remain and it is mainly empty buildings, but for its historical importance and the fact its still standing it was definaltey worth our effort.

When we finally got in the light was fading so the majority of the photographs dont really do the place the justice it deserves, how ever it was still and enjoyable explore of a hugely significent site, just a shame we didnt get to see the underground sections.