Greenham Common Control Tower to open Decontamination Suite as part of Heritage Open Days scheme

A rare opportunity is coming soon to visitors of Greenham Common.

Back due to popular demand, Greenham Common Control Tower is opening the Decontamination Suite – officially known as Building 274 – at Greenham Common on September 9 and 10 as part of the Heritage Open Days.

After a very successful weekend last year which saw almost 1,000 visitors descend on the site, tower volunteers are opening the suite with permission from the Greenham Trust – offering an exciting, rare opportunity to tour a Cold War time capsule that is normally closed to the public.

The Decontamination Suite is one of the few Cold War era buildings remaining from the 1980s when the USAF were present at Greenham Common.

Its purpose was to cleanse personnel of nerve agents after a chemical attack.

At this time, Greenham often made international headlines, in part due to the controversial Greenham Peace Women’s protests against the siting of nuclear missiles on the base.

The suite is attached to the former command centre for the 501st Tactical Missile Wing.

Its purpose would have been to cleanse personnel of nerve agents after a chemical attack.

As a potential last stronghold in the event of a Soviet assault, parts of the building have blast-proof, steel-reinforced concrete walls and solid blast-proof doors.

The building was also designed to be self-sufficient in air, water and sanitation.

The Heritage Open Days scheme is organised by the National Trust to facilitate the opening of buildings of historical interest around the country that are normally closed to the public.

Entrance is free of charge.