Page 1 of 1

Film: The Hole (1991) - Bunker shelter question?

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:09 pm
by JohnLocke
Dear Members,

I am active member of Subterranea Britannica (an organisation that investigates & writes up reports about any underground structure that has been adapted or man made for such human use at sometime or another).

We have been trying to trace the bunker used in this film & have an enquiry as to whether it is the same facility that could be in the Hospital grounds, if such exists & it was not a studio location.

If it does exist, could someone please give some background information, including who SB could approach directly to obtain due access. To investigate the bunker for ourselves, reporting the visit on our own Subterranea Brittannica web site.

Many thanks in advance, for assistance in this enquiry.

John Locke.

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:32 pm
by Great Plum
I am unsure of where this could be - although the school does have a network of undergorund tunnels called the 'Tube' and had a resevoir underneath the nearby hill...

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:21 pm
by Richard Ruck
I remember watching this film (made in 2001, not 1991, wasn't it? Keira Knightley would have been 5 or 6 in 1991!) - there is nothing like this bunker at Christ's Hospital.

According to some comments on imdb, most of the filming was done at Downside Abbey in Somerset.

Check here - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0242527/

Why not try contacting the production company?

Good luck!

(Blimey, I thought this was Shoz with a new hobby for a moment!).....

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:08 pm
by Laura M
Surely the bunker in the film was just a set? One of the daftest things I remember about that film was the fact that the bunker was so damn random. The CH bunker on top of sharpenhurst hill, was originally a well, but in the film the bunker appeared to actually be some sort of shelter.

Many Thanks for the answers in this thread

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:30 pm
by JohnLocke
I must propose a vote of public thanks for the date correction & information tendered about the films bunker & the CH tunnel system (I shall be conveying that info onto interested parties inside SB membership).

Our own (SB, that is) contacts of members inside the British film industry have also been performing some rather interesting location checks for the film. We now have some hard knowledge that the bunker was 2 sets at Bray Studios.

Now my question would have to be, WHO would be the best person to contact to access said CH tunnels & bunker?

John Locke.

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:50 am
by Laura M
The works staff will probably be the most helpful if you want to access the Tube, as they are the people who use it. I can't remember the name of the chap who showed me round, but he was a works staff dude. To be honest the tubes a little boring, I guess the image in my head was built up through various stories but I got down there and it was rather civilised. As for the well on sharpenhurst, again not that I should admit to this but not as exciting as expected. I believe the land its on is now owned by Orange mobiles as they have a mast there.

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 7:37 am
by jtaylor
I've also heard it's been concreted in?

J

sharpenhurst

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:23 am
by UserRemovedAccount
I have seen mention somewhere of a wartime "bunker" on Sharpenhurst and will find it for you. Meanwhile can you tell me/us more about Subterranea Britannica - does it have a website?

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:02 am
by Great Plum
It certainly does- it's a fascinating site:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/

The tube, actually would be very interesting for this crowd - they went a few years ago in the tunnels under Kuoni House in Dorking...

As for contact - my guess would be whoever is now in charge of publicising the school now that CHE are no more.

As for the resevoir on top of Sharpenhurst, I think I would be right in saying that the Hutchinson mast on top of the hill is on land still owned by the school. Subterranea Britannica were allowed to take the concrete plug out to see the Kuoni tunnels...

SB itself

Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:16 pm
by JohnLocke
Yes, we DO have an active web site for those troglodyte minded folks!

We have a Spring Day Conference at the London School of Mines, Imperial College in May (Saturday) - behind the Albert Hall.

Guest speakers & some film presenters cover the following subject matter:

Underground bases of the old Soviet Union in Sevstopol, Ukraine.

Matmata in Tunisia.

Civil Defence in Kuwait (we've a LOT of cross over interesting with those involved with CD or Civil Protection, including myself).

The Great Escape, re-excavating the original tunnel at Stalag Luft III.

Film: Snailbeach Mine

Luncheon

Film: Drakelow (anovver govt hole)

Mail Rail ( the history & service of the now defunct Royal Mail tube under London)

Brixmis -Operations & functions in the Cold War (our military spies in E Germany, as was. 2 members per year, where usually killed by old SU Spetnaz types at rural roadblocks in the middle of the night).

Members own short contributions.

I hope that answers any questions about how active SB is as an organisation.

Readers who seriously want to attend, should be prepare to pay £18 for the day, but bring exra for books, meters & luncheon.

Please contact me directly, if still interested.

John Locke.