M
MrChristian
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Guest
The "six mile mine" is located beneath wasteland next to Honeysuckle Road in Ramsgate. It stretches quite a way beneath it, with the only accessible entrance at the time being from the garden of a house in Honeysuckle Rd. The owners kindly gave permission to explore this system about 15 years ago, to official surveyors, and to me today (It's my best friends mum & dad's house)
Despite it's name, the tunnel system did not extend for six miles, it went for more like half a mile (as shown in the plan) before being blocked by a heavy roof fall. The original system apparently did extend beyond this, for a total of about six miles, as far as Margate.
It's original purpose is unknown - was it an old chalk mine? A folly? Used for smuggling? It's a mystery. It was however used as a shelter during both world wars.
This is the map of the tunnel system, located in the back garden of the house in Honeysuckle Road, Ramsgate.
Exploring this tunnel system was fascinating. It was about 6ft high in most places, but dropping to a crawl in other parts. There were many side tunnels leading off in different directions. If you had discovered it for the first time, without knowing how far it went, it could be very daunting, and one could easily become lost!
Inside was cool and dark, with regularly spaced alcoves in the chalk walls to hold candles.
This is the entrance to the tunnel system
Going down the first main corridor
Markings from the original surveyors
Roof fall - bit of a squeeze!!
Small cutout used for candles (notice the beer bottle!!)
I used to play manhunt in these tunnels when I was younger, and as time goes by I can still pretty much remember the layout of it all.
Well, I hope this little thread is interesting for you all.
Christian.
Despite it's name, the tunnel system did not extend for six miles, it went for more like half a mile (as shown in the plan) before being blocked by a heavy roof fall. The original system apparently did extend beyond this, for a total of about six miles, as far as Margate.
It's original purpose is unknown - was it an old chalk mine? A folly? Used for smuggling? It's a mystery. It was however used as a shelter during both world wars.
This is the map of the tunnel system, located in the back garden of the house in Honeysuckle Road, Ramsgate.
Exploring this tunnel system was fascinating. It was about 6ft high in most places, but dropping to a crawl in other parts. There were many side tunnels leading off in different directions. If you had discovered it for the first time, without knowing how far it went, it could be very daunting, and one could easily become lost!
Inside was cool and dark, with regularly spaced alcoves in the chalk walls to hold candles.
This is the entrance to the tunnel system
Going down the first main corridor
Markings from the original surveyors
Roof fall - bit of a squeeze!!
Small cutout used for candles (notice the beer bottle!!)
I used to play manhunt in these tunnels when I was younger, and as time goes by I can still pretty much remember the layout of it all.
Well, I hope this little thread is interesting for you all.
Christian.
