A piece of First World War architecture, built in 1917 to protect Sunderland from Zeppelin attacks has re-opened following a £68,000 restoration.
Fulwell Acoustic Mirror’s historic value went unrecognised for many years and its deterioration led to its inclusion on the Historic England – previously known as English Heritage – Heritage at Risk register.
This triggered a partnership between Sunderland City Council, Historic England and Limestone Landscape which has led to its sympathetic restoration.
The Acoustic Mirror was built to help detect German airships following a series of Zeppelin raids on the North-East coastline during 1915 and 1916.
It was designed to act as an acoustic early warning system against air raids, after a bomb dropped by a Zeppelin over the Wheatsheaf area of Sunderland in April 1916 left 22 people dead and more than 100 injured.
The mirror worked by reflecting sound detected by a microphone in front of the dish to an operator who could alert the authorities of approaching Zeppelins.