A GEOGRAPHER, who is interested in landscape history, has raised the question: Is the 'cave' found in Willaston in 1883 real or a hoax?

Tom Welsh, who lives in Chester, was a lecturer in Geography at the University of Northampton and has since retired.

His lecturing included landscape history and historical sources. His interests in landscape history and archaeology were pursued as a hobby, and have continued into retirement.

Tom's recent post 'Secret passages - did they exist?' which is on his website, discusses how secret passages and tunnels are a common belief in most towns, however, claims they connect a castle with a church or monastery a mile away are impractical and very unlikely.

He said: "When such stories surface today they are often quickly dismissed, often by archaeologists, because the matter should be left to archaeologists (goodness knows why) or because most such stories turn out to be old sewers or cellars, or were hoaxes.

"That may be true in most cases, but occasionally they are real. Also they do tend to interest the public so why quash such stories. They add a bit of fun and curiosity."

Tom spoke about a "cave" which was discovered at Windle Hill near Chester High Road, east of Neston in the late 1800's.

He said: "Workmen were digging for stone when they found a rock-cut passage, which ran south for half-a-dozen yards, to where a branch led off to the west.

"At this junction, the roof was supported by a pillar. Unfortunately, they did not investigate further and they speculated a Viking origin."

An article in the Chester Chronicle

On November 24 1883 the Chester Chronicle published an article titled 'Extraordinary cave discovery near Hinderton'.

It read: "The attention of archaeologists will be drawn to a most extraordinary cave discovery that has recently been made at Windle Hill, near Neston, on the top of a sloping field in the occupation of Mr Mason, Hans Hall, Willaston, about 300 yards from the road which leads from Willaston and joins the Chester high road at Hinderton.

"This very remarkable cave, if it may be so termed, was discovered by some workmen who are getting stone. These men in their ignorance, having no idea of the interest that such a place would excite in those who took an interest in archaeology, without consulting anyone connected with the work, filled up a portion of the excavation that they had come upon.

"On going down into the hole, the entrance of which points due north, there is found a passage travelling in a southerly direction, and hewn out of solid rock for about half a dozen yards. At this point there is a narrow passage branching off the main one, and bearing in a westerly direction, the roof here being supported by a pillar, which has every appearance of being worked with a chisel.

"This narrow passage no doubt leads to some cave which at present has not been thoroughly investigated."

The article concluded: "It is hoped that the attention of scientific men will be called to this matter and that they will not permit this cave to be further filled up without proper scientific investigation."

Is it a hoax or in fact true?

Tom has been investigating the possibilities of whether this "cave" is real or a hoax.

"There are several possibilities", he said.

"It might indicate mining activity. There might have been a building over the top of it for which drains were needed to be cut underneath.

"It is possible that it was not rock-cut but part of a stone construction, for example the hypocaust under a Roman bath. A curiosity also is that 1883 was the year it was proposed to build a water tower or cistern on Windle Hill that it seems was never built.

"But a hoax also needs to be considered, especially as I cannot find a subsequent reference to it.

"It looks like it was in the grass fields on the crown of the ridge, but it could also have been within one of the private gardens around houses on Windle Hill."

To read more from Tom, visit https://historyregained.net/.