hey i found a secret tunnel :)

I found a secret tunnel

Hi all , I have discovered a secret tunnel , its just a dead end , but it has this kind of weird escape chute like a chimney in one corner – its really neat , It looks really old .

Could it be an old cold war bunker escape hatch ??

Ok , here is what I found :

The tunnel entrance is partially concealed by bushes and there is no road or track leading up to it , its just grass – the grass is trampled , but by feet only – there is no signs of vehicular access

This is the location details :

Latitude / longitude co ordinates : N53521490 , W02233259 .

OS grid reference : SD74214163

The secret tunnel is right in the center of the town of Clitheroe , Lancashire , England

Its located in the middle of the municipal park , called the castle fields , and about 80m SW from the old castle keep

The tunnel is set into the side of an earthen bank , the entrance is flanked by 2 flanking buttresses built of the same stone as the tunnel walls and roof

The tunnel points under the oldest section of the castle bailey , which was used by the ministry of war and other bodies during WWII

Ok , this is what I discovered when I had a closer look , The tunnel is built from Dressed limestone walls with a compacted soil floor , The tunnel has a flat floor and rounded roof

The tunnel is only 5m long , but 4m wide , The maximum height in the centre is 2.65m

And the tunnel just stops dead – there is no door , nothing – and all the walls look the same age

The only feature inside the tunnel is a curious chimney set into the roof , The “ escape chimney ” is in the NE corner of the roof . This chimney is aprox 60cm square and again lined with limestone blocks – but it looks a different colour the further up you go

Its also got lintels that look like sandstone – very different to the tunnel walls

I can see red bricks up there too [ like they build houses from ]

It Extends aprox 2.5m , but it is not straight , and looks like it goes further .

It also looks like there is a black flag partially or wholly blocking the chimney

I can also see what looks like a metal plate .

There is no draft or smell from the chimney , at least not that I can detect from the ground

I didn’t have a ladder with me so couldn’t climb up for a closer look , but it needs investigating – there could be anything up there

It is clear that several different materials have been used in the chimney walls – it must have been modified several times

That’s it folks , what do you think it could be ?

Continued :

Appendix one – pictures and drawings .

MAPS :

Here is a map of the area : This map is a 1964 ordnance survey sheet , at scale 1:2500 [ 24 inches to the mile ]


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This is a hi res map : This map is from 1849 , at a scale of 50inches to 1 mile .



Here is an Ariel shot from Google earth :


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SKETCH PLANS :

Drawn ` rough and ready , with MS visio- 5 min a piece

This is a sketch map I drew of the area :This sketch identifies key structures on the maps



This is a drawing of the tunnel itself :



PHOTOGRAPHS :


This is a framing shot – the castle keep can be seen upper centre , and the council shed , upper right


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Here is a picture of the outside : The council shed is clearly visible in the top left corner


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This is a pic of the details of the chimney hole and vaulted roof : [ the walking stick for scale is 91cm long ]


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This picture is looking up the chimney , The metal plate and sandstone slabs are clearly visible


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That is it , clear well focused pictures , in good light , un edited which depict EXACTLY what I wish to show you .

Each picture and map complements the next , showing clearer detail at every level

If you could fake pics like this , you deserve to hoax ATS and get away with it




[edit on 8-6-2006 by asala]

[edit on 6/8/06/08 by junglejake]


(mod edit to resize large images. please click links below pictures for full sized versions)

[edit on 13-6-2006 by pantha]

Ok – a confession . this thread is really an exercise in how to do things properly

As you may have guessed , I hope – the “secret tunnel “ is not at all secret – it’s a an old part of the castle . Its still very interesting but there is no big secret hidden up that chimney

But that’s not the point , its how I reported it that counts , did you all Take note of The difference between my report and the recent rash of claims of discovered “ secret features “ ?

If the report I had filed above was a genuine – is would be worth investigating – as it contains a plethora of verifiable facts .

It’s the DETAILS , DETAILS DETAILS !!! that count in stories like this

Key requirements are :

#1 – detailed location , including co ordinates – resolved to the best accuracy you can manage

#2 – photographs , a picture really is worth a thousand words – and they should be UNEDITED , video footage is even better , esp. if it has a commentary

#3 – honesty , making dishonest or illogical claims which send up red lags and can be easily shown false can undercut your entire story in one silly sentence

If fellow ATSers cannot independently research your claims and conduct their own investigation , using your data to find the site themselves – then your story is worthless , it might as well be posted in the fiction section

So , the next time you find something , do a bit of basic research and file an accurate and fact packed report to ATS – the extra effort will be worth it , as fellow members will be more inclined to put in work themselves to assist you in solving the case

Debunkers , I being one of the worst offenders recently – have been quick to fly off the handle slamming those suspected of hoaxing , but to be blunt , some people had it coming

If comprehensive reports with accurate descriptions and pictures were posted – the claims of members who announce the discovery of amazing finds would be taken far more seriously , and there would be far less poo flinging

It doesn’t take much longer to do it right than do it wrong – and the rewards are far greater – a chance to deny ignorance and expand the knowledge base of ATS

Lastly a few helpful hints on how to investigate in a safe manner , to ensure you live to return and tell ATS what you found

Apes rules for exploring sites of interest

Do`s

1. tell some one RESPONSIBLE where you are going , and the ETA of your return

2. take a friend – NEVER go to a suspected site alone

3. wear sensible clothes and boots and gloves

4. carry a mobile phone , torch ,camera , magnetic compass plus GPS if you can beg or borrow one

5. check batteries and take spare batteries / bulbs as required - your `techno toys `are mere ballast if the batteries are discharged

6. a map , note book and pencil [ you need to take notes , do not rely on memory ] sketch shapes , lay outs and dimensions – anything you cannot photograph

7. .take notes of sounds , smells and such – note all your subjective feelings . what seems unimportant at the time , may become important later

8. photograph your friend stood next to the structure [ with their back to you , if privacy is an issue ] – the point is you know your friends height , as a reference for scale

9. take measurements and note materials / construction techniques

take what ever survey aids you can , laser rules or such are invaluable

but know how long your stride is too , if you have no other equipment – its better than nothing

General observations that fit no where else :

Abandoned industrial sites , mine works and defence installations can be contaminated by all manner of hazardous wastes both obvious and invisible

The air may be stale or poisonous and if no one has visited it in years , the oxygen levels may be low , or dangerous fumes may have built up .

Trust your nose , it may save your life

If your investigation attracts any attention , Do not assume you have a right to answers , private land is just that PRIVATE . and government military installations often have special protection .

Even if you don’t think it is private , leave anyway – if you want to return , research the claims of ownership – and only return if you discover that there is right of way / access

NEVER act in a hostile manner or confront a person who challenges you ,if they don’t have the law on their side , they are likely to be more dangerous – as they know they don’t have any right to be there either

If in doubt ring the police your self – unless you have damaged anything , climbed a fence or ignored clear no trespass signs you can argue you were lost or other defence

Even a threat to assault you is almost always more serious than a simple trespass in the eyes of the law

Avoid contaminating any food or drink you take with you – and wash your hands . Bird and rat droppings can harbour deadly diseases

Don’ts

1. .investigate hollow sounding floors with your feet – Murphy’s law dictates it will be hollow , unsafe and covering a lethal drop

2. investigate at night , unless ABSOLUTLY necessary – a secret bunker will still be there the next day

ONLY go at night if you hope to see a nocturnal creature active

3. lie or make up ` facts ` about what you find / see . as the hoax threads have proved , your lies will be unmasked

4. trespass or cause criminal damage – doors and gates with locks are secured for a reason and “ because I was curious “ is not a valid legal defence

5. .touch strange chemicals or other substances , some sites may harbour toxic wastes or building materials

6. jump into water , even if you THINK you can see the bottom

7. smoke or use a naked flame as a light source – explosive and flammable gasses can build up in abandoned structures


Hopefully this exercise will do some good , and spur people who have found genuine strangeness they cannot identify to come forward and report their discoveries on ATS in a scientific manner which will promote further investigation , education , enlightenment and most important denial of ignorance

Here is hoping this will prove useful to someone , And NOT become a tutorial and FAQ for hoaxers .

That’s all folks – APE OUT

nothing to with Lost then, only kiddin nice one man

Awesome post - Thanks

1. Excellent post.

You have voted ignorant_ape for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

2. If its not too late, resize your images, they throw off the page format and it sucks having to scroll side to side just to read the posts.

3. I was gonna call you a hoaxer until I read your last post, I mean really, how secret can a tunnel be if its included on maps etc. LOL

One again nice work.




[edit on 7/6/06 by Skibum]

Excellent post IA
But the tunnel in question is not that secret, it most likely date to WW2 when it was believed that the Germans were going to attack any day. Bunkers were built through out southern England to store weapons to carry on a gorilla campaign. You can also find hollowed out lampposts for messages, and other neat little things of the type. They were featured on a show on the History network a few years ago, but I can't remember the name of it.

The show was called Hitlers Britain and ran in 2002. It took a what if look at what would have happened if operation Sea Lion was launched and had been successful. In the second part they go in to some detail the plans for home defense, including the bunker that you have found. I'll see if I can find it on the web at all.

Exellent post I.A. some good reading and a must for any one doing any sort of "alien" hunting lol

news.bbc.co.uk...

The castle was built in 1186 by Robert de Lacy to protect the administrative centre of his vast estates.

info about Robert de Lucy#1

info about the castle


I just wander why The hole placed in very middle of England.

wait for somebody whom go to real location

This deserves to be stickied somewhere, with perhaps a link provided to all new members?

The number of crap hoaxes is just sapping this place. Good job IA!!

What the tunnel really is .

Apologies for the delay – but a computer crash wiped out my first and best draft of this , and I kind of lost the will to re write it . but I owe an explanation to the people who have shown interest and given such encouragement .

Truth is really stranger than fiction .

The “ secret tunnel “ was actually built in the early 19th century , as a manure silo

The “ chimney “ is actually a chute , which connected to the stables above [ the building now used as a “council shed “ ]

That is why the chute is in the corner , and can be seen to angle to the left and forward , from the tunnel .

Manure and other wastes were shoveled down the chute and ` matured ` in the silo until it was needed – and could be shoveled out of the entrance you see today , into waiting carts .

Up until the end of the great war , the castle and its grounds were private property . the estate and home of the Montague family , rich and powerful local land owners

The castle and grounds were Bought by public subscription in 1920 at a cost of £9500

Further monies were raised to municipal park and leisure facilities , as well as the war memorial . [ unveiled in 1923 ]

Prior to the great war – the grounds were agricultural land . and the buildings had radically different uses to today , the building that now houses the town museum was once the Montague home .

Hope this truncated and belated explanation helps

thanks for the update IA.
I did not see the manure hold explanation coming