One of the most common questions I’m asked about Peterborough’s history is whether there are any tunnels under the city. Local legends say that there is a tunnel stretching from the Cathedral to Monk’s Cave at Longthorpe. Similar tunnels are alleged to stretch from the Cathedral to the abbeys at Thorney or Crowland.

 

These are familiar myths in many historic cities across the UK, mostly urban legends based on half remembrances of sewers, cellars or crawlspaces, coupled with wishful thinking and rumour.

 

The stories of tunnels from Peterborough to

Thorney or Crowland are wildly improbable as the latter places were too far away.

 

They were also Fenland islands, so any medieval tunnel would have been underwater!

 

The persistent story of a tunnel from the Cathedral to Monk’s Cave can also be ruled out, not only because of distance and geology, but because the cave is a later creation. Rather than being medieval it is an 18 th century folly, an artificial cave excavated as a garden feature for the amusement of the gentry from Thorpe Hall to explore.

 

There is a tunnel of sorts under the Cathedral, perhaps the origin of some of these stories.

 

It stretches about 50 metres, from the south aisle to the south transept, and was excavated in the 1880s.

 

At that time, the main tower of the Cathedral was in danger of collapse, so was disassembled, underpinned and then painstakingly reconstructed. During these works the Victorian engineers uncovered foundations of the 10th century Saxon church underneath and left a tunnel for the curious to be able to view these remains. Sadly, for both safety reasons and the conservation of the remains, this tunnel is not open to visitors.

 

Archaeologists now think that the remains in this tunnel may be more significant than previously thought, identifying some of the stonework as being distinctively Roman. A carving in the south transept traditionally thought to be Anglo-Saxon and nicknamed the ‘Dancing Bishops’, is now identified as being Roman, possibly representing the Fates. An archaeological dig that took place in the Precincts last summer uncovered large amounts of Roman pottery. As such we can be confident there was a Roman building, possibly a temple, where the Cathedral is today, making the site much older than previously thought.

 

For more details on both events visit www.peterborough- cathedral.org.uk.

Random articles of interest

It was under the Crypt and right next to the cathedral

inside buttery

Maureen Williams, 82, of Westgate, recalled a school trip into the rumoured tunnels under Chichester when she was at Chichester High School for Girls.

 

She estimates she was in her early teens at the time and said she chose to share her memories after reading about the search for evidence in this newspaper.

Read more: It was under the Crypt and right next to the cathedral

An Archaeological Evaluation at Roussillon Barracks

An Archaeological Evaluation atRoussillon Barracks Chichester, West Sussex

 

Planning Reference No: CC/10/03490/FUL Phases 1a & 1b Project No: 4861 Site Code: RBC 11ASE Report No: 2011128 OASIS id: archaeol6-102472 By Diccon HartWith contributions by Sarah Porteus Illustrations by Fiona GriffinJune 2011

 

 

27 East street

MB
My mum worked 27 east street and when it flooded in the 90s they found a big cellar and you could look down into an area which was like a tunnel

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Archaeological Evaluation at Lower Graylingwell, Chichester

Archaeological and Historical Background
2.1.1 An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment was produced for the site in 2014 (AMEC 2015),
and a summary of the key findings are reproduced below.
2.1.2 A small Palaeolithic handaxe was found in an evaluation 150m east of the site. There are no
records of Mesolithic finds within 500m of the site.
2.1.3 Early Neolithic pits containing pottery and flintwork were found at Baxendale Avenue some 150m
south of the site, and four small pits, one containing later Neolithic pottery, during evaluation a

Read more: Archaeological Evaluation at Lower Graylingwell, Chichester

Why build a cellar

cellar image

First, there are no maps in the presentation to hidden tunnels , all information is in the public domain and if we get distracted during our searches that is only natural. 
I will try and make this as interesting as possible and we will not be getting our boots dirty.

Why have a cellar?
Having a cellar was actually quite an expensive and a time consuming affair. Most people didn't. There was no point unless there was something to store or servants to hide. 

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Summersdale FOOTBALL FIELD SURPRISE

FOOTBALL FIELD SURPRISE.

A singular happening lay behind the prosaic news on saturday that the
chuichester and District League football fixture, Summersadale VS Boxgrove, had o be postponed
owing to the ground on this hill suburb of Chichester being unfit.

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Doline – Chichester To Westbourne

Doline  – Chichester To Westbourne

doline

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Read more: Doline – Chichester To Westbourne

where are the tunnels?

claire mandville profile pic

Are you curious about the tunnels in Chichester? If you are, you are not alone. Many people have wondered about the existence and purpose of these underground passages that are said to run under the city. Some claim they have seen them, others have heard stories about them, but what is the truth behind the mystery?

In this blog post, I will try to shed some light on the tunnels in Chichester, based on some web searches and historical sources. I will also share some of the rumours and legends that surround them, and invite you to share your own experiences or opinions in the comments section.

What are the tunnels in Chichester?

Read more: where are the tunnels?

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