Report - Welbeck Abbey tunnels 08/04/2007

[Rob]

Sorry it's taken so long to get this report up. I have had no broadband connection for over a month (Orange Broadband 's).

We start at the South Lodge oddly named as it is at the NE corner of the Welbeck estate.

The left hand wing of the lodge is occupied with dog's and various other animals to the rear. The right hand wing is derelict I took the following photo through a hole in the door.

The rear of the RH wing.

The tunnel portal complete with heavy wooden (locked) gates.

There was a hole in the gate I pointed my camera through it (it would be rude not to).

Notice that huge stack of bird boxes and the skylights in the ceiling.

On the roof of the tunnel looking back towards South Lodge.

 

[Rob]

This round stone slab is covering the first skylight in the tunnel roof.

There was a small gap where someone had tried to move the slab. Again i pointed my lens through the gap... Nice web?

This is the view looking South West from the South Lodge. You can clearly see the course of the tunnel.

Every fifteen yards or so there was a depression in the tunnel roof where the skylights were.

At the bottom of each depression was either a round slab with holes in it.

Or a rough cut slab covering the hole.

This one had a hole smashed in it.

The view down the hole.

Where the tunnel crossed the lake there was a dam with a neatly cobbled track on the top cut into the the cobbles were cart tracks which seemed to follow the course of the tunnel. the level of the track is somewhat lower than that of the tunnel roof.

I suspect this track was the road through the tunnel.

 

[Rob]

There was evidence of other tunnels on the private part of the estate. However I didn't explore these as big brother was watching.

The course of the tunnel I have shown you is followed by a public footpath (the Robin Hood Way). the course of the tunnel can be seen on O/S maps which also show the skylights.

The tunnel looks well worth exploring although access could be tricky.

Rob.

 

[Rob]

This is a map of the area. my photo's cover the section between the lake and south lodge along Robin Hood way.

But as you can see there are other tunnels marked on these maps unfortunately on private grounds / lawns covered by cctv.