An unusual bomb shelter! (Chislehurst Caves)

Member Name: kateh

Product:	Chislehurst Caves
Date:	24/07/03 (218 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very unique experience, educational

Disadvantages: floor is quite uneven , cold so bring a jumper!

Walking up to the entrance of Chislehurst Caves, there aren't many clues as it what could be lying beneath. The only giveaway is the slightly unusual road name - Caveside Close! But as the tour descends it's difficult not to get unnerved by the damp smell and rapidly dropping temperature.

The look and feel of these man-made caves is very different to that of natural caves. The staglmites and stactites are replaced by a series of fairly regular rooms with interconnecting tunnels.

The guide during the 45 minute tour explains that these caves were apparently originally dug by druids (by hand?!) then used as an overflow ammunition store during world war 1. Bizarrely they were then used as a mushroom farm then came into their own during the Second War when Kent was under heavy bombardment as it was on the route towards London.

As the air raids began to get heavier, people started making their way down to the caves and using them as shelter. At first they took there own beds etc down but eventually so may people were using the caves that they were established as an official air raid shelter in 1941. Eventually an incredible 15000 (yes that's 15 thousand!) people were using the caves on a regular basis, many living down there.

Today the tour round the caves shows some of the features from the war-time years. There is a re-creation of a "pitch" which houses a number of bunk beds where a family would have slept separated only from another family by a curtain. The guide explains that there were lots of facilities available for the families - canteens, a theatre, cinema, bank, shop, post office and a church which is still there complete with stained glass windows painted on the wall. Apparently people can get married there if they wanted to! There is also a recreation of a hospital but apparently the only significant event that happened there was the birth of a baby, aptly christened Cavena.

Chisleh
urst Caves is well worth a visit especially as a good way to show children what life was like for some people during WW2 and the sacrifices some people made.

The tour is by experienced guides who have clearly been doing the tour for the number of years. There is a car park with lots of spaces and a cafe where I think you can get drinks and snacks.

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