Surprisingly it’s been 3 years since myself, Markymark & Kinger went exploring together as a threesome (hehehe, threesome) and over 6 years since we first explored the underground workings of RAF Chilmark in 2010.
In 2010, opposite the topside workings of the southern RAF Chilmark site was the International School for Security and Explosives Education (ISSEE). Being a company specialising in counter-terrorism & explosives we understandably avoided this area like the plague and kept to the south side of the site, wandering around the topside bunkers and eventually the main ammo stores underneath…
With ISSEE relocated somewhere near Oxford in early 2015, the Chilmark North site now seems to be home to various companies. Stealth is still very much needed and while I’m sure we could have just parked up right outside and walked in, we decided to use our legs instead. Always the best option.
The RAF closed Chilmark on 31st March 1995 and Salisbury council have been trying to sell various parts of it since then without much luck, probably a large factor being the huge bat population in the surrounding caves - apparently one of the most important sites for bats in Europe. Chilmark Quarries Ltd were given a ten-year lease to extract stone from the quarries, which expired in 2006, however we found references to 2009 within the quarry.
There seems to be several different names that this quarry has been given over the years, Teffont, Linda Barrow, Barrow & Chilmark North. Teffont seems to be the historically correct name, but perhaps not it’s most recent name.
The quarry is fairly small but interesting nonetheless, the older workings near the entrance are nice and there’s a few photogenic features. The newer workings are as expected, with the little bonus of some items being left behind. The whole place has a very untouched feel to it.
It wasn’t a good photo day for me. On with my annoyingly under-exposed, poorly composed photos…
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In 2010, opposite the topside workings of the southern RAF Chilmark site was the International School for Security and Explosives Education (ISSEE). Being a company specialising in counter-terrorism & explosives we understandably avoided this area like the plague and kept to the south side of the site, wandering around the topside bunkers and eventually the main ammo stores underneath…
With ISSEE relocated somewhere near Oxford in early 2015, the Chilmark North site now seems to be home to various companies. Stealth is still very much needed and while I’m sure we could have just parked up right outside and walked in, we decided to use our legs instead. Always the best option.
The RAF closed Chilmark on 31st March 1995 and Salisbury council have been trying to sell various parts of it since then without much luck, probably a large factor being the huge bat population in the surrounding caves - apparently one of the most important sites for bats in Europe. Chilmark Quarries Ltd were given a ten-year lease to extract stone from the quarries, which expired in 2006, however we found references to 2009 within the quarry.
There seems to be several different names that this quarry has been given over the years, Teffont, Linda Barrow, Barrow & Chilmark North. Teffont seems to be the historically correct name, but perhaps not it’s most recent name.
The quarry is fairly small but interesting nonetheless, the older workings near the entrance are nice and there’s a few photogenic features. The newer workings are as expected, with the little bonus of some items being left behind. The whole place has a very untouched feel to it.
It wasn’t a good photo day for me. On with my annoyingly under-exposed, poorly composed photos…
1.
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3.
4.
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14.
