The Myth of The Newark Tunnels
The Myth of The Newark Tunnels
Over the generations, there have always been rumors of Tunnels under Newark, never has any proof been found of these.
The Picture is the "rumored" location of tunnels, however, all disproven.
I love the idea that there are a series of connected tunels across the town, used over the centuries for various reasons, but i think it remains just that, a Myth
Theres always "that one person" or "mate of my dads" story of people being able to access and come up against a blockage or new wall, itll be good to hear peoples stories about them, as im sure there are lots, and if anyone has anything more than rumor, please share
Many will remember the Wing Tavern* pub which had a door in the floor of the pub cellar.. from personal experience they didn't go anywhere, just a small length of cellar leading towards the church.
There is one Rumor of a Tunnel between the Friary, Newark Castle and The Church. although, never found..
Ive also added a link to a youtube "documentary" delving into the "haunted" tunnels under the Rutland Pub... ive included it more for the fact there's good footage from some of the cellar.
Some details below on research/investigation over the years
Timeline of investigation
In 2013 An initial archaeological study found no evidence of the tunnels under Newark market place but did locate a number of extended cellars.
The study was conducted by a range of organisations, including the district and town councils.
Gareth Davies, of Trent and Peak Archaeology, which conducted the initial ground penetration study and will be continuing the study for Severn Trent, said: "Results indicate there are no tunnels that cross that specific area of the Market Place, at least tunnels less than five metres beneath the surface.
"The survey did however confirm extended cellars going into the Market Place and also earlier walls, probably going back to medieval times."
In 2014 a documentary was done
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPZvI_K2UhM
This video is about the History of Newark cellars under shops around the town..... and stories about the possibility that they might link together to form a network under the Town Centre
A brief amateur documentary was filmed in 2015 by Notts Docs which interviews multiple people and accesses multiple properties fails to establish any fact, simply a series of cellars suspected to be connected, such as the short service tunnels under Clinton Arms Court
As of yet, there is no archeological research that's backs up the rumor. we know that there are underground cellars under the marketplace, some of which were interconnected over the years which helped spread the rumor. There may be instances of these cellars being used historically to get between buildings, but there's a difference between some connected cellars and a tunnel system.
In 2018, A review of ground-penetrating radar surveys at town center locations appear to show the tunnels do not exist.
Lottery money was behind a project to test the tunnels theory, which was supported by oral histories and eyewitness accounts from people who remembered seeing or even entering them.
Kevin Winter, from the Newark Town Centre Hidden Heritage Group, who worked on the project, said although it was not definitive because a final report had not yet been received from the experts, the indication is that there are no tunnels.
“Supposing the final report backs up this initial finding, I believe this fully dispels the myths,” he said.
“It is a shame. People have loved to believe there were tunnels under Newark.”
The ground-penetrating radar search was carried out at depths of up to eight metres and appeared to show some features that could be tunnels, but are now thought to be extensive cellars.
Mr Winter said the best explanation of the eyewitness accounts was that people had seen cellars that encroached under pavements and had been inter-connected before being separated again.
“The suggestion of Civil War tunnels has never quite rung true,” said Mr Winter.
“My thoughts all along were that these were connected cellars rather than tunnels and they date to the coaching era when Newark had to cater for all of those passengers and extended cellars were needed to store food and drink.”
Experts surveyed areas of the Market Place, Church Street, Appletongate from Mount Lane to the war memorial, Cartergate from Baldertongate to The Arcade, and Bargate.
The castle grounds were surveyed some time ago and Severn Trent did Castlegate as part of the preparations for their £60m waste and water system renewal scheme, which is currently under way.
The myths were based upon the need to enable safe movement away from the Parliamentarian bombardment when they laid siege to Royalist Newark three times during the English Civil Wars.
It had been suggested tunnels ran from the castle to the Market Place, or from the Governor’s House in the Market Place.
It was also claimed tunnels could link Chauntry House or The Friary to the parish church.
The locations for the surveys were determined on probability and likelihood, as well as testimonies.
“My question has always been why - why build tunnels under Newark?” Mr Winter said.
“I am not sure what they would have done with them and, looking at the geology of the area, they would have been very difficult to construct.
“Nottingham is riddled with tunnels but that is because the sandstone was much easier to get through.
“Here, it is much more clay-based and we’re right by the river.”
Fun fact. the wing tavern pub was opened in protest by the landlord who was forced to close the green dragon pub to allow the final wing of the town hall to be built (the last remaining part of this pub is the thinnest house as per one of my previous posts)
From James Wright, Building Archologist for
Tales of underground secret passages are so common that almost every village and town have their own version. Usually the tunnel connects two rather contrasting, and faintly scandalous, locations such as the manor house and the nunnery or the priest’s house and the local pub! In my own home town of Stone, Staffordshire, there is a persistent rumour that a passageway linked the site of the twelfth century priory to Aston Hall.
The fact that the two buildings are over one and half miles apart, and that the intervening land is on the flood plain of the River Trent, never seemed to raise any scepticism when the locals of various pubs were discussing this! How would the presence of the passage be kept secret? Who paid for it? Why was it constructed? Where was the spoil put? How was it kept drained? The practicalities all seem rather insurmountable.
Although some sites do feature genuine tunnels, such as Strelley Hall in Nottinghamshire or Ashby Castle in Leicestershire, they tend to be both post-mediaeval in date and are relatively short in length. In both cases they offer access for goods and connect different buildings within a single complex. The vast majority of tunnel myths turn out to be simple drains when investigated
https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2019/10/09/guest-post-busting-mediaeval-building-myths-part-one/
Links to sources https://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/.../radar-searches.../
2015 youtube doc - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AOt92FXpE
https://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/.../grant-to-throw.../
https://www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-england-nottinghamshire...
A youtube doc was also done in 2021 by Shiver (paranormal documentaries). , ill add the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia0IloQ-IQk&t=8s
more info on myths of secret passages
https://voyagerofhistory.wordpress.com/.../transmitting.../
Update on peoples locations with info on the facts:
Natwest Bank steps
Late 1980s a big hole opened up right at the bottom of the steps to the Nat West bank in it you could see arched brickwork which was the top of 6foot main sewer from Victorian times shortly after Severn Trent repaired the sewer – No evidence of tunnels were found
Newark Church Crypt
Below ground is the crypt, dating from 1180, this is a crypt, rather than a tunnel
Wing Tavern Cellar
This was a series of interconnected cellars
Shops on Castle gate , such as Taylors
under here are extended vaulted cellars, no further tunnels found
White Hart
Cellars, Radar did not show up anything in this location
Market Place
Radar surveys done revealed NO tunnels, simply sewers and cellars
Church Grounds
Multiple surveys over many seasons and digs done in the grounds with no evidence found
Friary
there was talk of a tunnel from the friary, but again, no evidence found