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Photographic tour
Explore the tunnels
History of the tunnels
Exhibitions
For children
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History of the tunnels
| How and why the tunnels were made |
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| Image: The tunnels under construction in 1941. The beginnings of the entrance to the South tunnel can been see on the right hand side. |
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| As a major cable station and the hub of the Eastern Telegraph Company's international links, Porthcurno (known as 'PK') was an obvious enemy target. In 1914, a detachment of 43 soldiers arrived and was billeted in the theatre. Windows were sandbagged, barbed wire was erected and trenches were dug on the beach. A censor was posted there and the wireless hut on the cricket field was commandeered by the Senior Inspector of Telegraphs. During the Second World War, more drastic protection was needed for the telegraph station. Tunnels were cut in the cliffs by local tin miners and communications operations were moved inside. Flame throwers were also set up on the beach. In the musuem you can see an extraordinary colour film from 1941 of these flamethrowers being tested. |
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| Construction of the tunnels |
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| The underground tunnel took ten months to complete and was fully equipped with its own power plant, blast-proof doors and an escape route to the hilltop above. |
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| In the event, no bombs were dropped directly onto Porthcurno, although Roskestal Farm nearby had a number of bombs dropped on its fields. The tunnels were camouflaged and guarded and were designed to prevent invasion, with an escape route for the operators should the defences fail. |
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Blastproof door - This picture, taken in March 1941, shows the blastproof door near the mouth of one of the tunnels. The tunnel entrance was also shaped to prevent blast from hitting the door directly, as a further protection.
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Emergency Exit - This picture, taken in March 1941, shows the foot of the emergency stairs hewn out of the solid granite. The passageway emerges on the clifftop above.
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Scroll through the history of Cable & Wireless at PK in the PK timeline.
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