Foxenden Quarry Shelter, Guildford
This air raid shelter is located in a disused quarry near the centre of Guildford. It was commissioned at the beginning of WW2 by Surrey council, along with shelters at Coulsdon, Kenley, Epsom Downs and Ashley Road, Epsom. In a similar construction to the others, this tunnel takes the form of two main parallel corridors with a number of interconnecting tunnels. The majority is brick / concrete lined with some of the interconnecting tunnels remaining unlined. Conditions inside are surprisingly good, graffiti is minimal and many original signs are still in place.
These tunnels used to be opened to the public for Heritage Open Days, but for health & safety reasons they are no longer opened.
These tunnels used to be opened to the public for Heritage Open Days, but for health & safety reasons they are no longer opened.
Plan of part of the tunnel system
The first main passage, near the entrance
Some of the signs
One of the unlined, but supported, passages
One of the unlined, but supported, passages
Another interconnecting tunnel
Looking back down the interconnecting tunnel
Looking back down the interconnecting tunnel
Unlined chalk tunnel
Another unlined section
The second main tunnel
The second main tunnel
Gents' toilets
Remains of toilet
The ladies'
Entrance to marshal's post
These signs indicated the sleeping bays
Looking up to one of the two escape hatches
posted by Colin G at 2:57 pm
8 Comments:
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Thanks, it's always good to hear from people who have enjoyed looking at the site!!!!!
Hi, my husband and I went into the museum in Guildford today to see what we could find out about the caves of Guildford, the guy there didn't know anything about them at all, which was disappointing, so thought that I would put Guidford Caves into google when we got home and was delighted with what I found on this site, thanks!!! very interesting indeed. Just what I was looking for.
Really interesting, because I have lived in Guildford all my life and not even had the opportunity to go down there as it is shut up.
hi amazing photos ive been down alot of the caves when i was a kid. do you know anything about this napoleonic fort here 51°13'54.98''N 0°33'51.79''W (google earth. It goes along way down only managed to go down some of the way when we were kids?
That was the location Pewley Hill Mobilisation Centre.
(http://www.palmerstonforts.org.uk/pewleyhill.htm).
I believe it has now been demolished.
Also a Guildfordian, I have never been down into the caves. I am amazed the Museum didn't know any details. The person to speak to would be Matthew Alexander, or ask at the Surrey Records Centre in Woking as the staff their are very knowledgeable.
there are 2 entrances to this tunnel above ground at yourk road courts but they have been blocked up, the other is in the york road car park at the bottom floor, Nice pics, one day i hope to go in myself ;) got a plan
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