Estate agent David Rogers came across an unusual relic from the Second World War while valuing a house in Stanton St Quintin.

The Old Rectory, set in 1.75 acres, includes such traditional desirable features such as a grove, formal gardens and two paddocks – and, more unusually, a Cotswold stone war bunker.

Mr Rogers, property sales director and owner of Bridges Lockstone, said he was expecting to find a house full of history, but had been surprised by the rare find.

He said: “It was a bit of a shock and not something you come across every day. The owners advised it has always been a part of their home so to them it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

The bomb shelter is a solid concrete frame built into the ground and finished on the top with Cotswold stone brick work.

Why it was constructed in the grounds of the property, which was built in 1928, remains a mystery, and Mr Rogers said he is hoping to unlock the secrets of the building with help from Gazette and Herald readers.

He said: “We know the house was built in 1928 and I would like to know if it was built with the house or whether it was a later edition. I would also like to know who intended to use it.”

“It would be great to know more about it as it is a real piece of history and has become a big talking point in the office.”

Owner Nick Atkins, who has lived in the house for seven years, said he hadn’t even noticed the shelter when he first looked around the house.

Mr Atkins said: “It’s quite an odd sort of thing to have in the back garden. We haven’t used it for much other than storage, but I think it has quite a lot of potential for someone who has a bit of vision.

“The family who lived here before were here for some time, but of course before that it was the vicarage.

“It would be interesting to find out a bit more about it. I don’t think I even noticed it until we were in the house, and it’s just something that’s always been there.”

Hullavington’s airbase and its famous grass-coated roof hangars are no longer active and Buckley Barracks is now home to the Gurkha ninth regiment.

Mr Rogers said the bunker is a unique selling feature.

“They can have a modern purpose and can be adapted,” he said.

“They are great for extra storage or conversion – I saw one in London that had been turned into a wine cellar.”