Embracing our heritage and partnerships in Cornwall

We have been fortunate over the last year to form lasting partnerships between our GCHQ Historical section and wider heritage community in Cornwall that has allowed us to showcase our history, our wonderful county and some of the remarkable stories from people who have had a part to play in GCHQ Bude’s timeline. 

With a joint appreciation in showcasing our heritage through months of collaboration with GCHQ Bude and PK Porthcurno led to the ‘’Watcher of the Skies’’ exhibition opening in the fabulous setting of a WW2 bunker, part of the Museum of Global Communications. The location of the museum is just above the beach at Porthcurno, famous as the landing site for global telecommunications cables, and just around the corner from Lands’ End.

Beginning from its wartime establishment as RAF Cleave through to the present day with particular focus on Bude's critical mission, and collecting the data that underpins GCHQ's operations. The exhibition itself also tells the story of GCHQ Bude through the years, which includes overcoming the challenges of the ever-changing weather on the Cornish coast.

The exhibition's success was the result of months of partnership between GCHQ Bude, the GCHQ Historical Section and the team at PK and forms part of the department's build up to celebrating Bude's 50th anniversary in September 2024.  The exhibition closed in Sep 23 at Porthcurno but with a slight redesign can now be found in the Heritage Centre in Bude and has been renamed to ‘’From Squadrons to Satellites’’. Incorporating some additional local history stories, it opened in July as part of the 2023 Bude Heritage Weekend.

Squadrons to Satellites includes information on the history of GCHQ itself, from its beginnings in 1919 as the Government Code & Cypher School. The exhibition will reveal what it is like to work at the GCHQ Bude site.  Although most of the work carried out at GCHQ remains classified, the exhibition also sheds light on some of the ways we as an organisation contribute and are proud in supporting the community, through our Outreach and social value work such as working with schools and community groups and raising money for charity.