Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel - Myth or Maybe...?

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Wed 23 Nov, 2011 5:59 pm

Thats a good suggestion Bluemax, however the tunnels entrance lies in steep sided banking so its not really possible to anticipate where the tunnel might lead, nor is it possible to dig down from above other than for the first few feet. However the tunnel is leading in the direction of... Kirkstall Abbey! The abbey itself lies around 1/2 a mile away as the crow flies - or as the monks dig! I'm not 100% convinced this really is the 'Secret Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel' entrance but for dramatic effect its nice to keep the legend alive and who knows what might lie below the surface?The other day I read on a website by the Newlay Conservation Society an extract about the other potential contender for the 'Secret Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel' entrance, see:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newlaithes HallThe Hall was an imposing 19th century house built on the site of an earlier house known simply as “Newlaithes”, which belonged to the Pollard family. The new house was built in 1825 by Charles Greenwood and named “Newlaithes Hall”. It was described at the time as being a “...commodious and respectable mansion with well laid out pleasure grounds…”The only visible remains of the original house to be seen were the old stone arches of traditional Norman pattern in the cellars, said to date from the 12th century. There was an underground passage leading from the Hall, which according to legend was used by monks to reach Kirkstall Abbey. This may or may not be true, but we do know that the passage was used for target practice by soldiers during the 1939-1945 war. The Hall was also used to house German prisoners of war ad rumour has it that S.S. officers were interned there.Newlaithes Hall was severely damaged by fire around 1900. Much of the interior was gutted, after which it was rebuilt and divided into two houses containing many fine reception rooms, each house having large areas of garden and woodland. The buildings were demolished in 1964.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------As you can see they refer to some ancient cellars - 12th century, over which was built a later house and from these original cellars ran an 'underground passage' which was also rumoured to be the 'Secret Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel'. I contacted a chap from Newlay Conservation Society regarding this to ask if I might see the remains of this building but he told me that the area where Newlaithes Hall once stood has now been redeveloped and much later houses are built over the site, which is disappointing.So unless the Hawksworth tunnel proves to be fruitful it appears we may never find the real tunnel. It clearly exists as folk have talked about it for hundreds of years, but whether or not it is still accessible from anywhere remains to be seen.

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 25 Nov, 2011 10:06 pm

jonleeds wrote: The tunnels entrance lies in steep sided banking so its not really possible to anticipate where the tunnel might lead, nor is it possible to dig down from above other than for the first few feet. However the tunnel is leading in the direction of... Kirkstall Abbey! I enjoyed the walk today Jon. The "tunnel" sits in a depression between the abbey mill race and Cow Beck. North of the "tunnel" the mill race splits from the beck via a weir and sluice gate.Around 1930 maps of the area show that a second sluice gate was fitted on the mill race in the area of the "tunnel" and this enabled excess water to go along an "overflow" and down into Cow beck.So I think it's the remnants of an overflow system installed about 1930 but I'd like our resident experts like Jim and Phil and Cardi and soz if I have left anyone out, to check the maps ("old maps the online repository") and maybe agree with me or maybe not.....Close to the Kirkstall Road entrance is an old mill pond with some unusual ctone sides, plus an inlet that is apparently the remains of Hawkswrth Mill. A very old mill that has gone by the first ordanance survey map....

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sat 26 Nov, 2011 8:50 am

Phill_dvsn wrote: I would have to say the tunnel is very small and narrow for any kind of human traffic Jon. To all intents it looks to me as if it is some old watercourse, drain or leat gate. The slope on the floor at the beginning of the tunnel lending credence to it being an outflow. The metal gate is an unusual feature agreed, but it's just as possible it was operated to hold, or collect water inside, or stop water entering the tunnel perhaps? Sorry Phil, you just about had it spot on there.I suspect on the abandonment of the overflow they put the steel door on the outlet and collapsed the earth aound the entrance to block it so kids etc didn't go in there. However I am now fascinated as to why the Abbey Mill race needed some modifications as late as 1930? I don't see that it would have been in use then, but then again maybe the high levels of water in it was due to the whole of the race getting silted up and it was easier to drain it back into the beck than dredge the whole thing out if it was not in use.If the first weir and sluice have been dismantled (I didn't go that far) then I suspect that was the point the overflow would not be needed anymore. One more look will confirm....

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Sat 26 Nov, 2011 1:39 pm

I see Parksider, so did you manage to squeeze through the 2" gap and have a look around inside then?

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sat 26 Nov, 2011 3:05 pm

jonleeds wrote: I see Parksider, so did you manage to squeeze through the 2" gap and have a look around inside then? No mate I didn't!!!

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Sat 26 Nov, 2011 9:07 pm

So if perhaps it is the remains of an 'over flow' system for a long defunct mill race what will it be like inside, just like a long dark narrow tunnel? Where would it end, or is it likely its just filled in / collapsed part way along?

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sat 26 Nov, 2011 9:46 pm

jonleeds wrote: So if perhaps it is the remains of an 'over flow' system for a long defunct mill race what will it be like inside, just like a long dark narrow tunnel? Where would it end, or is it likely its just filled in / collapsed part way along? Jon, have a look at the maps - "Old maps the online repository"....See if you agree that the position of the tunnel, is the same position as the "overflow" on the maps........I was just assuming it was..............

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Sun 27 Nov, 2011 6:25 pm

yes thanks for that, I'm having a look at these maps now, is the drainage thing you are on about here on this map where I have drawn a red arrow pointing at it?

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Sun 27 Nov, 2011 9:31 pm

jonleeds wrote: yes thanks for that, I'm having a look at these maps now, is the drainage thing you are on about here on this map where I have drawn a red arrow pointing at it? No Jon.That channel linking the mill race back to the beck appears on the 1892 and 1908 maps, but is gone by the 1921 map.The 1934 and 1955 maps show a weir and sluice gate and an overflow at the point of the tunnel in question as far as I can ascertain.Phil said that the tunnel is like a watercourse, so putting two and two together for me that is what it is. Check the 1934 and 1955 maps.

eagle3 · Post by **eagle3** » Fri 07 Feb, 2014 11:05 pm

My family, The Eastwoods actually lived in Newlaithes Hall for a time in the late 1800s. I have pics of it and would have searched high and low for more evidence of their presence in Horsforth. I have done exstensive research and was able to pinpoint where they lived thru ancestry records and of course the stories passed down thru the generations. I wish there was more though-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newlaithes HallThe Hall was an imposing 19th century house built on the site of an earlier house known simply as “Newlaithes”, which belonged to the Pollard family. The new house was built in 1825 by Charles Greenwood and named “Newlaithes Hall”. It was described at the time as being a “...commodious and respectable mansion with well laid out pleasure grounds…”The only visible remains of the original house to be seen were the old stone arches of traditional Norman pattern in the cellars, said to date from the 12th century. There was an underground passage leading from the Hall, which according to legend was used by monks to reach Kirkstall Abbey. This may or may not be true, but we do know that the passage was used for target practice by soldiers during the 1939-1945 war. The Hall was also used to house German prisoners of war ad rumour has it that S.S. officers were interned there.Newlaithes Hall was severely damaged by fire around 1900. Much of the interior was gutted, after which it was rebuilt and divided into two houses containing many fine reception rooms, each house having large areas of garden and woodland. The buildings were demolished in 1964.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------As you can see they refer to some ancient cellars - 12th century, over which was built a later house and from these original cellars ran an 'underground passage' which was also rumoured to be the 'Secret Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel'. I contacted a chap from Newlay Conservation Society regarding this to ask if I might see the remains of this building but he told me that the area where Newlaithes Hall once stood has now been redeveloped and much later houses are built over the site, which is disappointing.So unless the Hawksworth tunnel proves to be fruitful it appears we may never find the real tunnel. It clearly exists as folk have talked about it for hundreds of years, but whether or not it is still accessible from anywhere remains to be seen.