Herbivore
02-04-2010, 10:13 PM
The Spur tunnel runs from inside the grounds of Dover castle and lead under the Dover to Deal road and on to below the Dover to Guston road it is believed that it was dug to mine the above roads but it is not known when it was completed. Visited earlier this year. 40 ft. Abseil to get in and once we were in we headed for the far end of the tunnel. I paced this out at 230 'yards'...ish
It's back-filled at the end but as you can see in the plan, it heads off right to the bottom of a 15ft well.
This second level looks like a fork with five prongs. The four outer ones being 20 yards long but the middle one is much shorted and leads to another well. This one is brick-lined and not as high as the previous one. This level is a mirror of the lower one but with one less (and shorter) 'prongs' and a few brick reinforced parts. Another well leads up to the highest level.
The long vertical shafts in the plan are back filled and inaccessible: The upper parts are filled with earth and not chalk.
Here's some pics.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r207/kai1989/Castle_spurtunnels-1.jpg
The long main tunnel:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02095.jpg
The well to the second level:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02086.jpg
At the top looking forward to the next brick lined well.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02076.jpg
On the second level:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02082.jpg
Looking up the second well. to level three:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02084.jpg
Looking across the third level.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02077.jpg
Last well, leading to the top level. Said to be only four feet below ground.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02080.jpg
graffiti along the main tunnel.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3445730910_2e28a83458.jpg
It's back-filled at the end but as you can see in the plan, it heads off right to the bottom of a 15ft well.
This second level looks like a fork with five prongs. The four outer ones being 20 yards long but the middle one is much shorted and leads to another well. This one is brick-lined and not as high as the previous one. This level is a mirror of the lower one but with one less (and shorter) 'prongs' and a few brick reinforced parts. Another well leads up to the highest level.
The long vertical shafts in the plan are back filled and inaccessible: The upper parts are filled with earth and not chalk.
Here's some pics.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r207/kai1989/Castle_spurtunnels-1.jpg
The long main tunnel:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02095.jpg
The well to the second level:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02086.jpg
At the top looking forward to the next brick lined well.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02076.jpg
On the second level:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02082.jpg
Looking up the second well. to level three:
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02084.jpg
Looking across the third level.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02077.jpg
Last well, leading to the top level. Said to be only four feet below ground.
http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p473/Hugh-Jarsole/DSC02080.jpg
graffiti along the main tunnel.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3445730910_2e28a83458.jpg