Discovered a tunnel into a 17th century house

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #1

Today digging holes it was stoney going, so I wasn’t holding back with the metal bar. I smashed through 6 inch of slabs and found this tunnel, it’s about 3x3 ft and ends just where I was digging, there’s no proper lid on it just stoned over, it’s about 2 ft underground. It heads to the old 17th century hall, we don’t know how far it goes, pictures are from my phone with the flash on, we are about 20ft from the house.
Nobody knows about this tunnel, its had the same family in for generations and they aren’t aware of it.

What could it be for?
I will get better pics tomorrow and take a proper torch.

 

Robert

Member

Location

South East

• Jan 23, 2018

• #2

Seen stone drainage culverts like that in Scotland though 3' deep seems excessive......

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• Jan 23, 2018

• #3

Priests hole/escape tunnel? Could be very historically significant.

 

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #4

Robert said:

Seen stone drainage culverts like that in Scotland though 3' deep seems excessive......

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It’s very very dry in a very wet winter!
Or would it be water from the house services like an early soakaway?

 

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #5

Pilgrimmick said:

Priests hole/escape tunnel? Could be very historically significant.

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Building is listed but I can’t anything about a tunnel on the details

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• Jan 23, 2018

• #6

ARW said:

Building is listed but I can’t anything about a tunnel on the details

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The whole idea was to be secret! Maybe nobody knows.

 

spin cycle

Member

Location

north norfolk

• Jan 23, 2018

• #7

that is cool.....hideout i bet

 

Lincs Lass

Member

Location

north lincs

• Jan 23, 2018

• #8

Dont show it to the archaeological wallers ,,they will have it fenced in for the next 6 months

 

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #9

Lincs Lass said:

Dont show it to the archaeological wallers ,,they will have it fenced in for the next 6 months

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These are my thoughts we want to finish the job tomorrow, not start tunnelling!

 

Northeastfarmer

Member

Location

Cleveland

• Jan 23, 2018

• #10

My arse would be flapping going in there

 

Lincs Lass

Member

Location

north lincs

• Jan 23, 2018

• #11

ARW said:

These are my thoughts we want to finish the job tomorrow, not start tunnelling!

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A load of brick rubble down it ,cover with soil and move on ,,If anybody says anything ,plead ignorance

 

P

phillipe

Member

• Jan 23, 2018

• #12

Could be a vent tunnel

 

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #13

I don’t think I will go in, I get slightly claustrophobic if I’m wearing a big hat

 

Still Farming

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

South Wales UK

• Jan 23, 2018

• #14

Treasure ???

 

Paddington

Member

Location

Soggy Shropshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #15

Sounds exciting ! Could be hidden treasure or skeletons and creepy crawlies..

 

Spartacus

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Lancaster

• Jan 23, 2018

• #16

Any kids about that'd go up it with a go pro and a torch?

 

Paddington

Member

Location

Soggy Shropshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #17

Spartacus said:

Any kids about that'd go up it with a go pro and a torch?

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H&S wouldn't like that, you'd probably need a calibrated length of string round their waist before sticking them down the 'ole.

 

llamedos

New Member

• Jan 23, 2018

• #18

How interesting, certainly worthy of protection, if you go back in you should be able to find where in the property it would have started.
Given the age of the house you have to think back to the Civil War and all that brought with it, turbulent times. Would not be unusual to have such a tunnel as a means of escape.

 

ARW

Member

Location

Yorkshire

• Jan 23, 2018

• #19

I think it’s a tunnel from the house as an escape route, it’s the perfect size for a man to crawl through with ease. Taking a torch and draining rods tomorrow. I was hoping it was a tunnel to the pub down the road!

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• Jan 23, 2018

• #20

ARW said:

I think it’s a tunnel from the house as an escape route, it’s the perfect size for a man to crawl through with ease. Taking a torch and draining rods tomorrow. I was hoping it was a tunnel to the pub down the road!

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Who knows it may well link two old buildings! Wonder what the pub keeps in it’s cellar these days?