Tunnels under Sheffield - Page 4

darkstardust · 07-12-2003, 16:00

Quote:

Originally posted by rarstar
the government obviously has contigency plans, so that the country can still operate in the event of nuclear war, london being blown up, etc.

if this did happen, government would be run from sheffield.

it would make sense that their are bunkers under the city.

i also read somewhere that there was once supposedly a tunnel running from the old castle to woodhouse - around mary (or whoever) was held there.

don't know about that, but the nuclear war one is definitely true - plans were drawn up to have an emergency government in sheffield during the cold war.

And on this note - has anyone ever seen Threads? A film about the cold war IIRC and the part Sheffield would have in it including the scenes of Sheffield being attacked with a nuclear bomb (shortly after RAF Finningly).

Rather worrying to say the least whey you are shown it in school...

Jayne · 08-12-2003, 15:04

i think this must be what i was shown in school - i remember being really scared of nuclear attacks for a long while - come to think of it, i still am

darkstardust · 08-12-2003, 19:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Jayne
i think this must be what i was shown in school - i remember being really scared of nuclear attacks for a long while - come to think of it, i still am

I wonder why then...

AndyRad · 08-12-2003, 23:44

this has got me really intrigued all this talk of tunels under the city, with regards to the complex accessed under the big tower block on savile street near the wicker i have seen lorries making deliveries beyond the guarded gates as i used to work opposite at the car dealership.... never realised what it could be the enterance to!

hounsfieldjr · 09-12-2003, 18:58

I went to see the walls of Sheffield Castle under the market last year, and the bloke who showed me round said that he remembers walking through a tunnel from the Manor to the Queens Head back in the 50s. There's got to be something in it. Surely?

debbie · 13-01-2004, 22:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon
Mikey The Yorkshire UFO Society hold meetings at the Queens Head Pub and yes a tunnel doe run from there up to the castle (btw i have written to the council about a visit down the tunnels so if they say yes you going with us?)

i want to go down the tunnels if u get permision.

debbie · 13-01-2004, 22:49

Quote:

Originally posted by darkstardust
And on this note - has anyone ever seen Threads? A film about the cold war IIRC and the part Sheffield would have in it including the scenes of Sheffield being attacked with a nuclear bomb (shortly after RAF Finningly).

Rather worrying to say the least whey you are shown it in school...

iv seen it, cudnt sleep for ages after watching it. good film tho

Fantomas · 16-01-2004, 12:31

My girlfriend mentioned to me unprompted just the other day that there is a tunnel from the Manor to Castle markets area of town.

Her mother works for the Manor Development Trust, I think that's how she'd heard about it. No idea where it actually starts either end though. I'll get her to chase her mum up about it.

Fantomas · 29-01-2004, 10:08

Well after some enquiries with the Manor & Castle Development Trust, here's their reply; sounds pretty conclusive:

---------------------------
Hi xxxxxx

Sorry to disappoint !

The tunnels really are a wonderful urban myth brought about by the many mine workings and large cellars which have been excavated in the area.

During the work on the site in the 1960's and 70's no evidence of tunnels were ever found and it is highly unlikely that any ever existed.

They allegedly stretched from the Turrett House to Sheffield Castle which would have made excavating them in the 1500's a virtual impossibility,travelling as they would have needed to through solid rock and then having to pass under the River Don. There is no evidence of spoil from these so called tunnels and working with just a pick and shovel would have taken forever .Think how long it took to dig the Channel Tunnel with all the modern technology available.

Sorry once again

-------------------------------

That's a bit of a shame but at least we now know!

Geezer · 13-02-2004, 19:32

Hi forum, I just found this website and thought i'd better register to make my point on this subject.
The tunnels under the city do exist, there is a picture of the entrance to Hartshead tunnel on the picturesheffield website. If anyone could get anymore info on this from the archives or local studies i'd be fascinated to know where it went, or where exactly it was.

Take a look, its very interesting. Just goto www.picturesheffield.com and search for 'hartshead' there are about 15 matches 2 of which are old pictures of the tunnel.

bluebird62 · 15-02-2004, 19:29

Hi, it is correct what you are all saying about these tunnels. sheffield is a city just built on tunnels. they run from the carbrook
hall hotel, upto the manor castle. and then there is those in the cross keys at handsworth. then again there are the tunnels from york street to the cathedral etc. i am really fascinated by these tunnels and have been from me being able to read. i also know that the tunnels which lead from the sheffield castle to manor castle are inaccessable due to landslides. tunnels even run from heeley to sheffield city centre and from the earl and arundal to high street. there was not one tunnel but upteen tunnels built for escapes to different places.
inside the old castle market at the side of the lift used to be a notice which read " keys for entance to old castle walls available "
does anyone remember this please. my mother and sister and myself used to say that the next time we were in the market we would go down.

Geezer · 15-02-2004, 20:51

there used to be pics of the remains on the markets website, but i'm sure that like the tunnel photos they will also be on picturesheffield too.

Geoff · 17-03-2004, 13:40

Was sent this e-mail which might be of interest...

i have just been looking at your letters from people interrested in tunnels under sheff and barnsley this i know nothing of but in doncaster i can confirm their is tunnels under the town with gothic carvings that is documented in many doncaster history books these were built by a guy who had a sand quarry in hyde park and built himself a house into the same of a sandstone rock face but continued under the town.in the 1970s a large block of flats were starting to subside and the council who knew about these tunells decided to fill them with concrete but before they did the ytv calender tv program took a camera crew down and filmed what was left it showed the gothic carvings that are quite well documented .these tunels were unique but the local council as usual did not take advantage of this ,i hope this might be of some interest to your chat room people who are into the sheffield tunels regards steve@doncaster

PopT · 17-03-2004, 22:28

I remember an old aunt of mine walking one of the tunnels in the 1950's.

She was part of a study group belonging to the Hunter Archaeology Society.

I know that society produce an annual book for its members with papers written about their different yearly finds.

Maybe someone out there has seen a report on the tunnels.

I would be interested to learn more factual accounts about them.

fuzbuz · 18-03-2004, 12:37

oh oh oh id like to go

bet its amazing

Tony · 18-03-2004, 13:22

I still don't believe that these are anything more than a figment of vivid imaginations. Nobody has been able to prove that there is anything but Mine shafts, bell pits, adits, sewers and foundations underneath Sheffield, and Sheffield's topography hardly lends itself to the tunnels that are suggested.

Sorry to be so sceptical.

I do like the romance of the idea

Saxon · 29-06-2004, 08:33

I've just bought a book called 'Sheffield's Time Trail: True tales from the Norfolk Park Heritage Trail.'

It talks about the tunnels under the city and one in particular is definitely known to exist. It runs from Sheffield Castle (demolished in the mid 1600's by order of the Parliamentarians in the Civil War) and goes to the Queens Head in Pond Street, which at the time was the Lord of the Manor's banqueting house.

Pete_S · 29-06-2004, 19:28

I think the tunnel from Sheffield Castle to The Queens Head could be right, bur Manor Lodge to Queens Head..... no way!
I lived on Skye Edge in the late 40s and 50s and though there was talk about a tunnel we never found any evidence.
Manor Lodge was known to us as Maggie's Castle in those days. Its caretaker was a little old woman who always dressed in black, she was Maggie and she used to frighten us to death! She had about 20 dogs and used to walk them every night - we all kept out of her way.

Tony · 30-06-2004, 09:06

Why on earth would anyone want to go to all the trouble of digging these tunnels? What purpose would they serve when you can just pop on a horse or walk?

Saxon · 30-06-2004, 09:16

Secrecy and skullduggery, Tony. Remember when the castle etc were built, there were plots and intrigue all over the place, a la Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.