Oxgate Admiralty Citadel
Encyclopedia
Oxgate Admiralty Citadel is the name given to a military bunker
constructed between 1937 and 1940, for the Admiralty
, on the corner of Edgware Road and Oxgate Lane, in north London
.
The citadel was designed to be an away-from-Whitehall base for admiralty operations, useful in the event of a need to evacuate the centre of London. The location was a mile from the Paddock
, an alternate Cabinet War Room
bunker
for Winston Churchill's
World War II
government.
The citadel comprises a three storey building above ground (typical of government building vernacular
), with an upper basement and a specially protected lower basement. It was used between 1939 and 1944, thereafter being given over to the Health & Safety Executive; nowadays it is in private hands.
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
constructed between 1937 and 1940, for the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, on the corner of Edgware Road and Oxgate Lane, in north London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
.
The citadel was designed to be an away-from-Whitehall base for admiralty operations, useful in the event of a need to evacuate the centre of London. The location was a mile from the Paddock
Paddock (war rooms)
Paddock is the codeword for an alternative Cabinet War Room bunker for Winston Churchill's World War II government located in Dollis Hill, North West London under the Post Office Research Station. It was constructed in 1939 but only rarely used during the war, with only two meetings of the War...
, an alternate Cabinet War Room
Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
The Churchill War Rooms is a museum in London and one of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum. The museum comprises the Cabinet War Rooms, a historic underground complex that housed a British government command centre throughout the Second World War, and the Churchill Museum, a biographical...
bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
for Winston Churchill's
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
government.
The citadel comprises a three storey building above ground (typical of government building vernacular
Vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
), with an upper basement and a specially protected lower basement. It was used between 1939 and 1944, thereafter being given over to the Health & Safety Executive; nowadays it is in private hands.
External links
- Oxgate (IP) Admiralty Citadel at Subterranea Britannica