Elizabeth Strutton found a bunker built in 1942 during World War II. It was once a secret radar and communications post. But Strutton saw something else.
The bunker was once the first line of defense against potential Nazi attacks. Soldiers could gather information and monitor the skies unseen.
Strutton’s home is found in Cornwall in Great Britain. It was once a place that was operated 24 hours a day to aid in the fight against the Third Reich.
80 years ago.
The British Ministry of Defense decommissioned the place in 1982.
Strutton and her husband, Mike, saw the bunker which sat in a farm with a for sale sign in a real estate office’s window. They bought the property for $194,000 from a farmer.
The bunker served as storage for potatoes.
It still housed military equipment and featured bomb-proof walls two to six feet thick. Turning it into a residence would be a challenge.
There was Ivy everywhere and the surrounding area was overgrown. The couple had the floors raised, while the ceilings were lowered to allow for insulation, plumbing, and electricity.
Over $135,000 in a span of five years transformed the underground space into a fully functional abode.
Strutton did some work on the entrance, but the outside retains its original look.
It’s inside where the changes are impressive.
Strutton explained in 2013 why she chose the bunker.
“It is a magical fortress. You are at the end of the world and living history. You don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for when you take this kind of thing on, but I know I live in the best place in the world now,” she said.
The bunker boasts of 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a decent living area. they couldn’t put windows, so tubular skylights through the roof lets natural light to come in.
Builders installed industrial fire sprinklers since there were no fire exits. It took a month to drill through the roof.
The three-foot mound of soil covering the bunker meant that it needed to be insulated. They didn’t want mold growing inside.
“The building process was very difficult. It hasn’t been done before so the builders weren’t used to this kind of space. It took much longer and much more money than expected,” Strutton said.
The bunker’s interior was mostly retained allowing Strutton to welcome several veterans who wanted to see the place for themselves.
“Amazingly, the family of a veteran came down the other week,” she said at the time. “They said their mum now has dementia but told them she worked here during the war. They didn’t believe her but once they were in, it was exactly as she had described it. Their mother was very happy about it apparently.”
Strutton knows how important her place is.
“Living in here, you do really appreciate the way people fought – you feel a sort of connection with what they were doing. It is something I don’t want to take for granted and one of the best things about the place,” she said.
Check out this transformed WW2 bunker below!
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