Grammar digs deep to open wartime tunnels to community
Visitor centre to open as school’s second underground shelter excavated
A school is planning to open a visitor learning centre to bring the history of education during the Second World War to life. Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (MGGS) already hosts visits from local primaries whose students can explore one of its air-raid shelters.
Now the school is working to open a second underground passage at the site, in Buckland Road, and combine it with a learning centre to be created within an extended sports hall. During the war, MGGS students frequently held lessons in the tunnels during raids, and the school has a raft of watercolour paintings drawn by the art teacher of the period, illustrating the experience. Past head teacher Mary Smith has also amassed recollections from former pupils.
These will be displayed in the visitor centre, under the plans, as well as photos and other memorabilia from the 1940s.
Its use is intended mainly for organised primary school visits, but it is hoped the tunnels will be open to the public during school holidays.
Kent County Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the £750,000 proposal to expand the Molly Tipples Sports Hall last week, which, as well a providing the new history centre, will enable the school’s sixth form boys to have their own changing room.
It is to be paid for by KCC. Head teacher Deborah Stanley said she was “delighted” with the result and said the extended building would be a “real asset” for both pupils at the school and the wider community.
She said: “We know that many local groups have heard about the school’s Second World War air raid shelters through talks given by the previous head teacher, Mrs Smith, and have seen some of our beautiful contemporary paintings from the time. This facility will enable the community to use the visitor learning centre and also experience the tunnels first-hand.” There will be no additional parking spaces as part of the plans - the school told KCC the existing 50 were “sufficient”. The proposal was passed by councillors at County Hall, with all 12 of the committee members giving their seal of approval. Cllr Andy Booth (Con), who proposed granting planning consent for the scheme, said: “The extension looks sympathetic to the current building layout and actually uses the space incredibly wisely.”