A silent sentinel stands on the edge of oblivion, a nuclear bunker clinging desperately to the crumbling cliffs of East Yorkshire. Its days are numbered, perhaps just a handful, before the relentless North Sea claims it as its own.
This isn’t a luxurious survival shelter built for the elite, but a relic of a different era – a bare-bones monitoring post used by the Royal Observer Corps during the Cold War. Inside, officers once waited, poised to detect the telltale signs of a nuclear attack and relay the warning.
The Holderness Coast is vanishing at an alarming rate, one of the fastest eroding coastlines in Europe. Each year, the sea devours two million tonnes of land, a process that has already swallowed 23 towns since Roman times. The bunker’s impending fall is a stark illustration of this powerful, ongoing transformation.
Amateur historian Davey Robinson, along with his wife Tracy Charlton, has been documenting the bunker’s final stand, filming it daily as the cliff edge crumbles closer. They anticipated its collapse for nine days, capturing the drama unfolding with each crashing wave.
Originally closed in 1991 with the end of the Soviet Union, the bunker fell victim to vandalism in 2002. Metal scraps now litter the site, and the interior bears the scars of fire, a testament to neglect and the passage of time.
The exposed brickwork and flaking paint hint at the inevitable. Experts predicted its demise long ago, warning that a single harsh winter could be enough to send it tumbling into the sea. Now, that moment is almost here.
Their daily “bunker watch” videos have captivated thousands online, drawing viewers into a strange and compelling vigil. Comments range from friendly wagers on the exact date of the collapse to astonished disbelief at being invested in the fate of a crumbling concrete structure.
One recent clip, filmed after a battering from Storm Goretti, showed Davey preparing to launch a drone for a final aerial view. The bunker stands as a poignant reminder of a bygone era, and the unstoppable force of nature.
