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Historic Cold War Bunker on East Yorkshire Coast Facing Imminent Collapse
A Cold War-era military bunker on the East Yorkshire coastline is now perilously close to falling into the North Sea, as relentless coastal erosion eats away at the clay cliff on which it stands. Local observers and historians warn that the structure could collapse into the ocean within days, underscoring the dramatic effects of climate change and natural shoreline retreat on Britain’s historic sites.
A Relic of the Cold War
The bunker, known locally as the Tunstall ROC (Royal Observer Corps) Post, was constructed in 1959 as part of a nationwide network of monitoring stations designed to track nuclear blasts and radiation during the Cold War. Positioned originally about 100 yards inland, the facility provided basic living quarters for observers who would have operated in the event of nuclear conflict. It was decommissioned in the 1990s, leaving it as a disused but historically significant structure.
Erosion Eating Away at History
Today, the bunker sits precariously on the very edge of an eroding cliff near Tunstall Beach — around 25 feet above the sand and rocks below — with little ground left to support it. Photographs and videos shared by amateur historian Davey Robinson, who has been documenting the bunker’s final days, show the brick building clinging to a rapidly retreating coastline. Robinson warned that the bunker “hasn’t got long left — perhaps just a few days” before it is lost to the sea.
The Holderness coastline, stretching between Withernsea and Hornsea, is one of the fastest eroding in Europe, with clay cliffs retreating at an average rate of several metres per year. Sea-level rise, more frequent and severe storms, and warmer waters — all linked to climate change — are accelerating these natural processes, increasing the risk to coastal landmarks, property and infrastructure.
Safety Concerns and Local Response
Local authorities have warned residents and visitors to avoid the area around the cliff top and the beach below, due to the dangers of sudden collapse. The East Riding of Yorkshire Council has stated that it has no statutory responsibility for the bunker itself, as the land and structure are privately owned. However, it emphasised the significant risk posed by the unstable cliff and urged people to keep their distance.
Climate Change & Heritage at Risk
The imminent loss of the Tunstall bunker highlights a broader challenge in the UK: historic military installations and coastal heritage sites are increasingly threatened by shoreline retreat. With some areas of the east coast losing metres of land each year, authorities and heritage bodies face difficult decisions about how — or whether — to protect these sites in the face of accelerating environmental change.
As the bunker teeters on the brink, its fate is a stark reminder of the power of natural forces and the vulnerability of even the most solidly built remnants of the past. Whether it falls into the sea this week or survives a little longer, its disappearance will mark not just the loss of a structure, but a piece of Britain’s Cold War history — dissolved into the tide.
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Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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