Gravesend Cold War Bunker

Today we had one of our Wednesday morning public tours. We have more of these scheduled for January and February 2024 in addition to the Friday night tours.

Booking is through the Gravesend Visitor information team as usual.

Extra dates added...

Another great tour group yesterday evening. As well as local visitors, we had people from Ashford and Dover. Thanks for making it a great evening.

Today we had visitors from KURG, Kent Underground Research Group, who held their AGM, in addition to looking around the Bunker.

Today we have had a school group visit the Bunker, thank you for coming to see us.
Meanwhile, here is a photo of Woodlands Park from 1983 showing the emergency exit of the Bunker.

U3A group visit this morning. Thanks for visiting, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did showing you around.

The first batch of dates for 2024 have been set today and are now available for booking.

Now booking the last few places for 2023...

Keilan's extra set of work experience days have now come to an end, but not without Sam, head of the college, donating some more wonderful civil defence items that belonged to her parents, which Keilan was able to help us place within the Bunker.

The volunteers have been continuing to catch up on the document of artifacts and donations from delays caused by the COVID period. We are also pleased that Keilan has been able to join us for another batch of work experience sessions.

Keilan has now completed his original plan for work experience visits. It is possible he may be able to arrange another batch. Here he is, working with Sandra Soder and the other volunteers, to list the items in the kitchenette area of the Bunker.

Extra dates set for November and December...

These wonderful civil defence items have been donated by Sam Hargood, Head of College, Ifield School.
Sam's mother and father were both members of the Civil Defence and the 1964 diary and items of uniform belonged to them.

In the pictures, Keilan, who is currently taking part in work experience at the Bunker from Ifield School, is helping to place these items within the Bunker.

Pictured with Keilan is Sandra Soder, the Director of Thames Defence Heritage, and Jay Curtis, her deputy.

Special daytime tour today for National Local History Month. Thanks to everyone who came along.

Thanks from the team to our visitors this evening. We hope you enjoyed your tour around the Bunker.

This morning in the Bunker, a make up bag containing hair curlers & pins has been added to our display in the ladies dorm. Thank you Louise Scott from Dartford for the donation.
At the same time, Colin has been continuing restoration work on the radio display and Bob has been working on the desk in the Controller's office.

Special daytime Bunker tour.
Wednesday 3rd May. 1030.

Thank you to Lee Gibbs for the donation of these period playing cards, which have joined the display in the men's dormitory.

Thanks to our visitors who braved the rain yesterday evening to join our monthly tours.
Dates are set for the rest of the year and places can be booked through the Gravesend visitor information team.

It's Wednesday morning and the volunteers are continuing to work on the displays within the Bunker.

Another great group of visitors this week. Thanks for coming along.
Dates have been set for the rest of the year.
Places are booked though the Gravesend Visitor Information team.

Today the volunteers have been continuing to examine our artifacts and improve displays.
We have also had great pleasure in incorporating a fantastic 1980s Soviet "spy radio" on loan from Michael Cox.

Another successful evening of tours. Thank you to everyone that visited.

Today, the volunteers have been cleaning our nuclear bomb and continuing to study & document the display items, as well as our regular maintenance checks.
We then had a volunteers lunch in the beefeater next door.

First tour group of 2023 this evening. We hope you enjoyed your visit. Dates are set for the whole of 2023. Booking is essential.

Merry Christmas from the volunteers of Thames Defence Heritage.

Tonight was our final tour group for 2022. Thank you to everyone that has visited this year.
Dates have been set for the whole of 2023, places are booked in the usual manner through the Gravesend Visitor Information team.

This week the volunteers have continued to work on the radio display.
We have also had a group visit from a school in Chatham.
Dates have been set for Friday evening tours throughout 2023. Places are booked in the usual manner though the Gravesend Visitor Information team.

Another great tour group this evening.
Dates through 2023 are filling up fast.
Booking is through the Gravesend Visitor Information team.

Cleaning up one of our display items, a WW2 era radio.

Another great tour group this evening. Thanks for visiting. Next Friday we will have our next tour group.
We are currently booking for places on tours for next year.
Booking is essential and done through the Gravesend Visitor Information team.

This morning the volunteers have been working on the filing cabinet and the TA area within the Liason Office.

This morning the volunteers have been continuing to review and document the displays within the Bunker