Tunnels Under Castleton

[bungleboy69]

Does anyone know of any tunnels in Castleton. One of my friends was saying there are rumours of tunnels up to Peveril Castle and other ones linking the church to other buildings. Would anyone have any knowledge or information?

[speleo1]

I would say they is possible caves etc but don't know about tunnels.

[mikeG]

I think they were called 'Blue John Caverns' but that was when I was last there - about 50 years ago.

[pattricia]

4 hours ago, mikeG said:

I think they were called 'Blue John Caverns' but that was when I was last there - about 50 years ago.

There is a Blue John stone from the caverns isn’t there ?

[hauxwell]

2 hours ago, pattricia said:

There is a Blue John stone from the caverns isn’t there ?

Yes there is a Blue John stone. I can remember a ornament that my old neighbour had made of Blue John. I’m sure some of the shops in Castleton sold Jewellery made of Blue John.  

 

Edited March 13, 2021 by hauxwell

[abbeyedges]

Caverns and tunnels under Castleton.

 

I'm surprised the pavements don't sink in the summer with all the visiting tourists. 

[Annie Bynnol]

Blue John is a very local variety of a common mineral called fluorite.

The area had many mines which were searching for metals to extract since at least Roman times.

Most of the mines are lost in history and only some of the cave systems were accidentally discovered. 

So yes there will be undiscovered mines and caves 

 

The mines(and the cement works)are there because Castleton and Hope are part of the geological boundary between the White Peak- limestone to the south eg Winnats Pass and the Dark Peak-shales and millstone eg Mam Tor.

[Anna B]

There is a tunnel under Castleton with water in the bottom. It might be the Speedwell Cavern. I remember going down it in a boat when I was a child.

[pattricia]

4 hours ago, hauxwell said:

Yes there is a Blue John stone. I can remember a ornament that my old neighbour had made of Blue John. I’m sure some of the shops in Castleton sold Jewellery made of Blue John.  

 

Yes, some of the shops in Castleton did sell jewellery made of the Blue John stone. I wish I had bought some as it was lovely.

[Annie Bynnol]

The only cave in Castleton is Peak Cavern but is connected to Speedwell which is further up the road at the bottom of Winnat's Pass(which is the boat ride in a tunnel and a water filled cavern).

 

Further up the hill is Treak Cliff Cavern 

Further away and further up the hill is Blue John Cavern