Stockport Air Raid Shelters

Opened in 1939, Stockport Air Raid Shelters are the largest purpose-built civilian air raid shelters in the country. Carved into the natural sandstone beneath the town, these labyrinthine tunnels are nearly one mile long.

Originally designed to shelter 3,850 people, the network was extended to accommodate 6,500 citizens during the war, and during the Blitz they provided shelter and a way of life for families in and around Stockport.

Underground network

Explore the original tunnels, authentically re-equipped, which provide you with first-hand experience of daily life in 1940s wartime Britain. Displays in the tunnels and audio guides reveal what life was like on the Home Front, and particularly, the experiences of the local people who used the shelters.

'Luxury accomodation'

Dubbed the Chestergate Hotel to reflect the 'luxurious' standard of accommodation, Stockport Air Raid Shelters were fitted with electric lights, wooden benches, flushing toilets, bunk beds and first aid kits - preserved and recreated for visitors today.