Having lived in and around Warwick for most of my life, I have heard a number of rumours and seen signage referring to the "rumoured" network of tunnels that run beneath the town of Warwick, Warwickshire, UK.
I have spent some time researching in books and online with little evidence or information regarding these mysterious tunnels. Other than a sign on the front of "The Punchbowl" public house that mentions "...Warwicks famous tunnels...", there is little to no information on this network.
Due to the lack on information about these tunnels, and due to my interest in history, I am going to be looking further into the mystery surrounding these tunnels and hopefully find answers to questions like - how many are there?, where do they go from / to?, what was their purpose?, who built them? along with any other questions that might be answered along the way.
Have you made any progress with this as I am also interested in this subject? I know of some of the rumoured and real tunnels if you are interested?
ReplyDeleteI'm planning a trip to some of the locations next week to try and find the tunnels and explore them more. I know it's been a few years but have you had any joy on finding any more information or kocation
DeleteThank you for your comment. Yes we are continuing to gather information on the tunnels, but things are going slowing due to there being such little information about them out there. There has also come to light tunnels under Leamington Spa town center - with a similar lack of information.
ReplyDeleteI will make another post in the coming weeks with more in depth details of my findings - any help or information you can provide would be great - the more information the better.
Do you have an email address I can contact you on? I have some information on the Warwick Tunnels, some you may be aware of, some maybe not?
ReplyDeleteYou can contact us on warwicktunnels@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI hope you got my email on these and that it may lead to further uncoverings..
ReplyDeleteI am trying to find information regarding these tunnels but have had little success. Have you found any evidence? Can anyone else help? covurbex@hotmail.co.uk
ReplyDeletehttp://forums.warwick.ac.uk/wf/browse/thread.jsp?tid=44966
ReplyDeleteEmail me for more info uncle_smartie@hotmail.com
DeleteI used to work at the Black Castle Pub in Bristol. Beneath it was a tunnel that led to mansion across the road. As with many tunnels of ancient cities, they tend be filled in for security, commadered as cellar space and thus cut off and forgotten about. I suspect that this would be the case for these tunnels as they seem to be very short of evidence. I think it be the case that they would certainly lead to/from the castle and to from public places that would have private areas such as the Church (St Mary's church is well worth a visit) or a local Tavern. The reason for this type of exit is that fleeing nobility can dress up in disguise and appear from no where and lose themselves under the very noses of the people chasing them.
Deleteis there any update to this?
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Kenilworth and remember soem stories about tunnels under warwick, linking places like the castle with Guys Cliffe. Would love to find out more about them. Are there any updates to this? Or even good websites to read about the history of Warwick/Kenilworth?
ReplyDeleteI used to work in the Tilted Wig in Warwick and there is blocked up tunnels in the cellar there
ReplyDeleteIf anyone could be kind enough to share some info regarding anything they feel may help regarding this topic then please do to warwicksecrets@gmail.com (include the word warwick in the subject) . The lack of information regarding these tunnels is driving me insane.
ReplyDeleteI live on saltisford and have just heard that there is a tunnel under the old bookies mace leyton on the corner where they are building houses and building work has stopped also we hace just found a 6ft deep hole in our lounge and have to get builders in as walls are not safe?
Deletehave been working in warwick for the past year and have heard alot about these tunnels. would love to know more. i work at the m n s and there supose to be tunnel entrance there.
ReplyDeleteA bit late into this blog but I too would be interested in any info anyone has on the warwick tunnels as have lived in and around warwick all my life and heard story's about them I would be interested in maybe entering and exploring but would like more information to what exactly I would be walking into and all the entrances I have heard no longer exists if ever I can be emailed on lauralawsonbromley1@gmail.com thanks for help
ReplyDeleteDrop me a message at mada-events@live.co.uk have some info for you all
ReplyDeleteI can definitely corroborate their being some kind of tunnel entrance accessible from Priory Park in the early eighties. From memory I think it was located near what is now Yeomany Close and Garden Court. I have an idea that the entrance was, at some point at least, from the building site where they were some of this development was being constructed and would be interested to find out whether the dates of this construction tie up with my memories. I do remember that you didn’t have to climb down into a hole, the land had been cut out like a small cliff so you could just walk in, and there was a kind of a window you could look out of, but was too small for access. I don’t remember the tunnels being extensive or heading off anywhere. This would have been when I was between about five and eight years old so my memories are understandably a little hazy. My location doesn’t make much sense as a direct route between the priory, castle, or Guys Cliffe house.
ReplyDeleteAround 2007, I was shown the entrance to a tunnel of what was then The Aylesford Hotel and became Prezzo and now High Pavement. The landlady said it ran from St Mary's Church to the castle down Castle Street. As a former pupil of King's High School in the 1970s, I can confirm the tunnels under Priory Park were well-known. Someone in the planning office/ local paper archives must know about them as there was some publicity about them when the building development mentioned in another thread was built.
ReplyDeleteI also remember the opening in Priory Park. I grew up in the Seventies and clearly remember, just behind Garden Crescent, a hole leading into a slight hill there. However, looking at old maps, that part of the park used to be a nursery and the old house there on Priory Road was the Game Keepers lodge. The chances are that that entrance in the hill was probably just an elaborate garden shed. But be that as may, I also have heard of the tunnel leading from the Castle to Guy's Cliffe. I was first told about it by a teacher at Woodloes Middle School, he said the opening was in the Armory. My son who worked at the castle confirmed this, too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, someone previously mentioned a tunnel entrance at Aylesford Hotel, which would make sense as there was also a entrance in the cellar at the Gold Cup, which is now Number Six. Putting it all together we a have a direct line from the castle to St. Mary's Church.
When I worked at Warwick Castle, I was told of a tunnel that linked there to Kenilworth Castle. It was allegedly used by Queen Elizabeth I to meet with Lord Robert Dudley.
ReplyDeleteIn the 50s, I used to play in an old quarry in priory park (now a playground). To one side is a rocky outcrop at the base of which was a hole just big enough for a child the crawl into, although I do not remember anyone having the guts to go in as it was very tight.
ReplyDeleteAll the kids used to say that it went to the castle. It would have been far too small though.
Hello - we are responding as anonymous because we are techno phobes, not worried about confidentiality! The ability to network might open up discussion? Anyway, we live in the Dispensary and can confirm a second chamber cellar exists which looks like it should connect to something else. It is dug by hand (chisel marks are visible) out of the bedrock of Warwick and a lot of effort has gone into digging it, if its only purpose was to store wine and food? Next door, Number 6 also had a double chamber cellar, but that has been filled in. A huge sink hole opened up at the back of 2 Castle Street a few years ago, so deep that garden furniture was lost and never recovered. We understand another huge hole was found in Pageant Gardens - do the Town Council have any information about that?.
ReplyDeleteA former neighbour, since departed, in Castle Lane said that she had seen a map of the tunnels of Warwick. We will try to make contact with her son to see if it has been passed on to the family, if she ever owned it; it might be that she only saw it - she worked for County Records at one time. Good luck, we will watch with interest and will pass on any information we get. Estelle and Bernard
Hi Estelle and Bernard,
DeleteDid you get any further with this please?
Hi Estelle and Bernard,
ReplyDeleteIf you drop an email to Adrian King at eventsatguyscliffe@gmail.com I'm sure he will arrange something. Adrian has already hosted one get together where the topic of the Dispensary came up, amongst much other fascinating stuff. If we have another meet up soon it would be fantastic to have you there.
Regards
Chris
Hi all, this is turning into a great thread full of information! Has anyone seen this map? http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/Warwick_Tunnels/WarwickTunnels. I'm not sure who did it, but it is quite eerily accurate when you put all the bits and bobs together from over the years, most notably a supposedly easy-to-get-to tunnel entrance inside the Stratford Road entrance to Warwick Castle. I, like others on this thread, also worked at Warwick Castle, and heard of many entrances and tunnels - including seeing the entrance to the chambers directly underneath the main courtyard.
ReplyDeleteI have a few other random bits of weird information obtained over the years from friends and experiences that may be of interest:
- A colleague once said that the ground fell in where some works were being done, sometime in the early 1950s, I *think* in Priory Park. This revealed part of a tunnel that was then filled in. Whereabouts in the park I have no idea!
- The same colleague said there was a tunnel running roughly along the alleyway down the side of the graveyard of St Mary's Church - this matches comments on this thread, and the map I linked to above.
- We found several riveted and bricked up archways and doorways whilst working at the Castle - one under the Ghost Tower (which you can actually see from the ground on the river bank by looking through the gate), and one at the very bottom of the stairwell in the Bear and Clarence Towers (not accessible to the public).
- A member of staff at the Saxon Mill once said to me that there was a tunnel entrance downstairs somewhere but they were under very strict instructions not to use it!
- I can't remember for the life of me where I heard this but... there's supposed to be a statue / gargoyle type thing somewhere on a building in the Market Square which is looking at an entrance or manhole cover. I think this one sounds quite fanciful though and implied a link to some sort of ritual cover-up. Well, you never know!
Happy hunting...
Tom
>I, like others on this thread, also worked at Warwick Castle, and heard of many entrances and tunnels - including seeing the entrance to the chambers directly underneath the main courtyard.
ReplyDeleteDitto here, a small storage area in the undercroft restaurant pointing inwards to the courtyard goes on as far as the eye (can't see in the dark). Easy for someone to verify.
But, since Capability Brown filled in the courtyard, the original level would have been what is now the bottom of the steps to the undercroft restaurant area. I suspect that would make that tunnel just another regular entrance from the courtyard. It's not deep enough to go fully under the courtyard and back towards the town.
Although I did also hear that the tunnel from the castle connects to St Mary's.
The Saxon mill probably connects with Guy's Cliffe?
can we have another meeting son bit ore information apparently the warwick arms hotel used to be the castle sables and there is also a entrance from there
ReplyDeletealso setting up a face group called warwick tunnels myth busters if you would like to join it
Hello, I'm interested in the tunnels of Warwick, I've posted a small info shot here today regarding Priory Park tunnel. I'd like to join your face group if possible, thanks. geoffrey731@gmail.com
DeleteI've been along the river in my kayak up to the saxon mill, there is an old tunnel just before you reach the mill. It's above the water line and would be easy to walk along, so could possibly have been a link to the suggested tunnels
DeleteWould be very interested in following both this group and subject. My partner and I have a keen interest in the whole history of Warwick and yes like most of you this tunnel business has intrigued me since I was a boy.
ReplyDeleteCould I suggest to Tom reply on his posting of 24/09/15, there is a very famous Gargoyle on the corner of New St and Market Place above the Paper kisses shop, I have heard of this in the past, its carved out of wood and directly above a drain manhole cover. I have heard there were once 2 Carpenters who made the building, having fallen out with the authorities engraved themselves and had put on the building, very similar story to a Guy's Cliffe one.
Getting back to the tunnels, it would make sense to have an exit route from the castle but leading to the town doesn't make sense at it leads a weakness in your defence and most attacking forces would know this. However, to lead from the Castle and the old Castle to Ayelsford would make sense as before the war this was woodland. It is far enough away and leads to open countryside. The tunnels in town to Priory Park and Guys Cliffe would make sense too, Eclisatical, it would also not surprise me if at some point there was a tunnel to the convent at St Nicks too. Tunnels within the town wall again makes sense, in order to store and move supplies, and Militia men to protect the town as well, Don't forget Warwick also had its own Militia based in the Square as well. Questions questions and questions? But the intriguing one is there a connection to the fire of Warwick of 1694, did they predate and were they used for people to escape, or perhaps in the resulting restructure of the town made so the population would not suffer like previously and had a means of escape etc. Again this would make sense to tap into the existing infrastructure, only thoughts but I think good ones for thought. Have really enjoyed reading these blogs and would so much like to know and learn more. Regards Kevin
As a boy, around 35 years ago, I worked at what was The Woolpack Hotel. My job was to re-stock the bar with bottles from the cellar. The cellar was a crazy space, it was quite large, and had different areas/rooms. It seemed like it was cut out of the sandy rock by hand, and was fairly rough. Occasionally we would pinch a bottle of cider, go hide at the farthest end of the cellar and drink it there. The thing I wanted to convery, though, is that the cellar went on, and on, maybe for 30 or 40 feet or more, and gradually became much more tunnel-like, until as I recall a steel plated door blocked further exploration. By this point the passage had become really rough and not neatly shaped at all. I think it was heading roughly in the direction of the Rose and Crown, but I could be confused. Anyway, this memory made me curious about the rumours of more tunnels, which I certainly believe exist or existed. Glad to find this thread.
ReplyDeleteWould like to talk to you about being in a documentary!
DeleteI just saw the article in the local press, and it prompted me to come back here. Let me know how I can contact you if you still want info. I may also be able to put you in touch with a local property owner who has info on the tunnels network.Let me know how I can contact you if you still want info.
DeleteI would love to know more and would love to see if there are any ways into these tunnels. I have tried in vain to find them but without joy. What ive heard is that there is a main chamber some 30ft under warwick somewhere with nine chambers going iff in all directions. I have a map but it's not very precice but may help someone else. I would be happy to meet up and share what I know but it's not much. Someone out there knows I'm sure. It's becoming a bit of an obsession with me. Help me out please. If they're down there I really want to see. Thanks. Jim.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim, I'd like to have a look at your tunnels of Warwick map or better still obtain a copy, can you help me, I'm very interested in this subject.
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=warwick%20tunnels%20myth%20buster
Deletethis is a facebook group created to share any information about the tunnels
Equally interested. And eould be very interested in meeting up. Has anyone plotted each of these locations on a map to see if there is any direct corolation? Id be happy to do so .... email me any details/locations
ReplyDeleteElectricalskyebay@gmail.com
Ive worked at the Lord Leycester Hotel and the Kingmaker ( now tilted wig) and both cellors are tunnel shaped with blocked up ends. The lord Leycester a lot larger with several tunnels in different directions. Also who remembers the orange tree/ one o five bar next to the museum, it toilets were down stairs in arched tunnel shaped rooms.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in Warwick in the past, not far from Prory Park, and it was common knowledge that there is a tunnel running from the castle to Prory park where Monks were reported to have used this as an escape route into the park or Priory in that park during a siege. I hope this is of some use. Geoffrey Taylor email geoffrey731@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI've been convinced there's something interesting underneath that concrete slab in the tink-a-tank, since I was about 10. 50 years later, with the wall falling because of the storm, maybe I'll find out. Living in Finland makes it impracticable to visit it again, sadly.
ReplyDeleteHi I am in Leam and fascinated by this. More than happy to help locate the system. I know of other tunnnels connecting Coombe Abbey up to local houses too, a bit further away so these things are definately about. There could be some interesting archeology there.
ReplyDeleteDo the Masons at Guys Cliffe know more about the tunnel system? I see the curator on here talking and I can see on Google maps what appears to be an entrance at the base of Guys Cliffe cut into the rock face. Any clue?
I guess that Leamington is too late on to be connected into the older Elizebethan tunnel network right? Could there be others over this way of a later period. It seems the bedrock is conducive at least. All the buildings have deep cellars here. I wonder if there's more?
the only tunnel that im aware of in leamington connects the pump rooms to a property up newbold terrace but not sure which 1
ReplyDeleteneed to sort out some sort of meeting for every 1 concerned
also think i have located 1 of the tunnel entrances from the scrible maps but seems to have been concreted over
https://www.facebook.com/groups/822916167797661/permalink/1323060944449845/?comment_id=1323274977761775¬if_t=group_comment¬if_id=1493741168682015
ReplyDeleteHas any tryed someone to do some geo mapping of some of the routes that may exist
ReplyDeleteA few mentions of tunnels under Guy's Cliffe in this recent article: https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/people/uncovering-a-warwick-landmark-one-section-at-a-time-1-9004289
ReplyDeleteI 'KNOW' of several of the 'tunnels' existence, and have actually-been-down a cpl-of 'them'! I also worked at Warwick Castle(late 1980s)! It makes me laugh - when 'people' dismiss-the mere idea (of such) w/o any actual-research, etc! I KNOW OF THEIR EXISTENCE, & THE WHEREABOUTS/ROUTES(FROM/TOO) OF A FEW OF THEM!
ReplyDeleteHi I would love to hear your story, you could be on a documentary on tv!
DeleteNB: The hillious-area(Priory Park) could-well have been made-from the diggings of all 'these Tunnels'! (Just throwing it-out-there)!
ReplyDeleteHi i need to talk to you about what the farmer found behind guys cliffe, the is a documentary being made about warwick tunnels!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this thread is still live. I have some info on the subject having lived in Priory Lodge.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Is this thread still live? I have a little info on the subject.
ReplyDeleteRichard
r399-63@hotmail.com