Monument Number 1576561 |
| Hob Uid: 1576561 | |
Location :
Wiltshire
Corsham
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| Grid Ref : ST8513969124 |
| Summary : The canteen and kitchen facilities to the Central Government War Headquarters providing facilities for up to 4000 military and government staff, including the Prime Minister and key cabinet officials who would have been accommodated within the headquarters in the event of nuclear conflict during the Cold War. The facilties are situated within underground rooms within Spring Quarry, a Bath stone quarry. The quarry had been requistioned by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1940 to be used as a underground factory for aeroplane engine production. This closed in 1945 and in 1954 Spring Quarry was bought by the government, the northeast area allocated for convertion into a Central Government War Headquarters. Construction started in 1957 and much of the major work had been completed by 1959. The canteen and kitchen areas are over two levels, cover an area of 3,382 metres square, and comprise four principal components: the Bottom Kitchen, the Servery, the Tea Bar and the Rear Laundry and male washrooms. Initially two kitchens had been installed, but by 1970 the envisaged level of occupancy was reduced and the other kitchen, in Area 7, was abandoned. The kitchen and canteen was modified. Laundry equipment was moved from Area 7 to the rear of the kitchen, an area to the north was partitioned off to provide a storage area, and the rear serveries were altered or removed. The Central Government War Headquarters was de-commissioned during the early 1990s and de-classified in 2004.The canteen and kitchen facilities to the Central Government War Headquarters is a scheduled monument. For the designation record of this site please see the National Heritage List for England. |
More information : The canteen and kitchen facilities to the Central Government War Headquarters providing facilities for up to 4000 military and government staff, including the Prime Minister and key cabinet officials who would have been accommodated within the headquarters in the event of nuclear conflict during the Cold War.
The facilties are situated within underground rooms within Spring Quarry, a Bath stone quarry. The quarry had been requistioned by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1940 to be used as a underground factory for aeroplane engine production. This closed in 1945 and in 1954 Spring Quarry was bought by the government, the northeast area allocated for convertion into a Central Government War Headquarters. Construction started in 1957 and much of the major work had been completed by 1959.
The canteen and kitchen areas are over two levels, cover an area of 3,382 metres square, and comprise four principal components: the Bottom Kitchen, the Servery, the Tea Bar and the Rear Laundry and male washrooms. Initially two kitchens had been installed, but by 1970 the envisaged level of occupancy was reduced and the other kitchen, in Area 7, was abandoned. The kitchen and canteen was modified. Laundry equipment was moved from Area 7 to the rear of the kitchen, an area to the north was partitioned off to provide a storage area, and the rear serveries were altered or removed.
The Central Government War Headquarters was de-commissioned during the early 1990s and de-classified in 2004.
The canteen and kitchen facilities to the Central Government War Headquarters is a scheduled monument. For the designation record of this site please see the National Heritage List for England. (1-2)
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