AN UNDERGROUND chamber has been discovered by archeologists in Colchester.

Contractors working in the grounds of Abbey House, at the junction of Flagstaff Road and St John’s Green, found the entrance to the forgotten bunker and cut in to the walls.

Experts were called in to take measurements and photos.

The size of the chamber suggests it was built as an underground base during the Cold War crises and was bricked up and forgotten afterwards.

But German writing has been discovered on the walls.

Chris Lister, Colchester Archeological Trust archeologist, said it was unlikely to be a Second World War air raid shelter as it was too small.

He said: “It probably dates to the Cold War/nuclear crisis era after World War Two and it was probably a crisis command and control bunker for the garrison commanders.”

Don Shimmin, trust archeologist, said they were baffled by the German graffiti.

He said: “There was obviously some shenanigans going on there.

“It throws up the slight possibility that German prisoners of war could have gone down there which would mean it is Second World War after all.

“My instincts are that it is from the Cold War but where the German writing has come from I don’t know.”

Abbey House is being redeveloped and transformed into new housing by Lexden Restoration and Development.

Mr Shimmin said he hoped Army archives could tell the trust what the bunker was used for and more about the mystery of the German writing.