Tunnels from City Museum to Temple Newsam Mine

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Wed 28 Feb, 2007 7:53 pm

I know it sounds strange but I seem to remember a tunnel from the city museum to Temple Newsam pit. This was in the late 50's when visiting the museum with my father. Could this have been an air shaft?

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Thu 01 Mar, 2007 10:39 am

mmm. I have to view these so called tunnels with some sceptism. There was a b.b.c hidden leeds site untill recently. There were some wierd & wonderfull tales posted on there. It usually happens when some schoolboys of yesteryear discover an old mill stream or an underground sewer & over the years the story gets more far fetched. Tunnels for dangerous animals e.t.c! If there is an old passageway anywhere near Temple newsam i would have to say it would have been an old mine working since the area has a rich history of coal working. Untill i see any credible evidence of these phantom tunnels i'll choose to look at the most obvious answer..They do sound intriguing mind you

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Thu 01 Mar, 2007 5:55 pm

I did not pose the question to attract ridicule. I distinctly remember visiting Leeds museum and looking at a set of locked steel doors, when one looked through you could see a track descending and feel cold air coming through. Was the collection of Leeds Museum exhibited somewhere else following the closer of the old one I wonder?

Martyn · Post by **Martyn** » Fri 02 Mar, 2007 12:40 am

Hey Ozz. no-one is into ridicule.There have been quite a few apocryphal tales about secret tunnels, in fairness.Where was the City Museum when you went?I remember it on Park Row in the sixties, then it moved to the Library building. The site in Park Row was bombed in the war taking out the front bit of the building which is why it was moved.Then that site was closed and the whole lot was moved to Yeadon.Next year, the museum will be moved back into the old Civic Theatre building and will be very different to the old museum, all audio visual stuff and interactive.

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Fri 02 Mar, 2007 2:13 am

You can walk from the Town Hall to the Library/Museum building by a tunnel. I don't think they go much further though. It seems a very common theme on here though, people like tunnels !

munki · Post by **munki** » Fri 02 Mar, 2007 9:10 am

The tunnel from the Town Hall to the Library has been lost, honestly! They thought they would find it during the recent refurb, but no sign of it at all.Doesn't mean that it isn't there, though. The Town Hall is full of secret rooms...

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 02 Mar, 2007 10:25 am

Sorry you feel that way ozz. If you read my comment again you will see i'm only trying to make out the point that from a whole list of secret tunnels on another web site, people swear blind that they do exist, But when there pushed to show you were the entrance is to go in & where they come out & produce a picture inside-then they can't. I have no doubt you have seen something ozz. To construct a tunnel is no small feat. It needs a trench of at least 10'x4, Thousands of bricks & i would presume there would be some proof of these 3 mile tunnels been constructed never mind the disruption caused. There's no doubt that Leeds is riddled with old mill goits, drains & disused sewers, I'm not so sure about tunnels built for lord mayors to go running down & lions been herded off trains into secret tunnels! I was only trying to find out the secret Leeds & not the myths of secret Leeds. Fair comment??

Ro-Man · Post by **Ro-Man** » Fri 02 Mar, 2007 2:16 pm

On a similar theme, has anyone heard of the Williamson tunnels in Liverpool? These are definitely there becasue I've been down a section of them only a couple of years ago.The reason I mention these is that they lay undiscovered for many years as folklore and tall stories emerged. However, I think about 10 years ago, part of this sytem was discovered and a group of volunteers are currently excavating what they can.The truth about these tunnels is bizarre. They were built by Joespeh Williamson for unknown reasons. Various theories range from him wanting to keep the local men in work, religious extremism and smuggling.For the full story see the website http://www.williamsontunnels.comI'd love to think that Leeds has a secret like this waiting to be discovered. Maybe the tunnels from the City Museum could be it????

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Wed 14 Mar, 2007 6:12 pm

I think you are spot on there Ro-man... I'm going to be adding my ideas of where one such tunnel is in the city... I need a few pics & stuff 1st.... How do we organise the dig afterwards

Beefish · Post by **Beefish** » Sat 17 Mar, 2007 8:19 pm

Hi munki - I've just seen your message about a tunnel between the town hall and the library. I posted a message the other day about something I found in the basement of the library 30 odd years ago - if there was a tunnel between the library and town hall what I found would make sense. Have a look at Leeds Library posted 15 March - no-one has replied to this thread yet.Beefish