Over in Kent, just a short half-hour journey from the city, a curious attraction invites visitors to explore a vast 22-mile-long network of caves. Chislehurst Caves takes brave adventurers (and just the plain old nosey) down beneath Greater London. Visitors travel deep below several thousand tons of rock to delve into almost 1,000 years of history.
The sprawling maze of tunnels is a vast, man-made attraction that was excavated by human hands over many centuries. Records of the caves go all the way back to 1250! Some believe the earliest tunnels may date back even further, to Roman times.
Chislehurst Caves
The ancient caves were originally created as chalk mines. However, they’ve been used for a wealth of purposes since then. The caves have previously served as “ancient Druid temples and Roman settlements.” During the World Wars, the caves were used for ammunition storage “and even as an underground city housing 15,000 people during the Blitz.”
Subsequently, the caves became, of all things, a gig venue! In the 1950s-70s, the caves served as the setting for dances as well as concerts from the likes of David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix.
As you might imagine for such a historic (and creepy) site, all sorts of paranormal goings-on have been recorded here. After all, has anything ever looked more like the setting for a satanic ritual of some sort? You won’t be sure if the goosebumps running along your skin have come from the cold cave air or the creepy caverns themselves.
Exploring the caves
Now, excited though some of you may be to strike off into the caves for some exploring, it’s important to note that the only way to get in is by taking part in a guided tour. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming lost in the caves for all eternity and joining the existing set of hauntings… Yikes!
Tours of the Chislehurst Caves last around 45 minutes and depart hourly, from 10am – 4pm. But you get your own lantern, just in case…
Please note, due to the cave system’s uneven floor, it may be difficult to navigate for pushchair or wheelchair users.
📍 Caveside Close, Old Hill, Chislehurst BR7 5NL.
🚇 The nearest station is Chislehurst.
🎟️ Book your visit here.
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