Tony Lord
The appearance of a mysterious crater in a carriageway in Blackheath Hill in early April 2002, has caused traffic chaos. One theory is that the road collapsed because it is situated on top of a cavern dug out by 17th-century chalk miners. Back in June 1991, Tony Lord wrote an article for 'The Mercury' about these mysterious caverns in the area. . . .
One foggy morning in October 1939, a small group of men assembled in the backyard of 77 Maidenstone Hill, Greenwich.
A clerk working in the Civil Defence HQ at the Town Hall, remembering the stories of the mysterious caverns under The Point, a grassy area at the edge of Blackheath, had unearthed the old plans, and it was decided to assess the practicality of the caves being used as air raid shelters.
The caverns had been dark and silent for nearly 90 years.
Although I call them 'caverns' there is little doubt they were the work of limeburners who in the 17th century dug out enormous quantities of the chalk - so much so that one William Steers, in 1677, was fined the large amount of £40 for undermining the Kings Highway (Blackheath Hill) and causing wagons to overturn.
A century later in 1780, a builder uncovered the vertical entrance. He must have realised he had stumbled on a nice little earner, because he built a cottage at the entrance and cut 40 steps into the side of the cave. He then charged sixpence for admission and the caverns soon became a fashionable curiosity.
However, business came to an abrupt halt after a 19-year-old girl, Lucy Talbot, was overcome by noxious fumes in the well chamber and was carried fainting into the open air where she died shortly afterwards. Because of this sad event a ventilation shaft was cut by the proprietor and a pair of bellows installed which circulated fresh air.
Things picked up again, a chandelier was hung from the roof, a bar was built in the largest cavern and it was used for drinking parties. There were stories of unclothed lady dancers and, human nature being what it is, these gatherings rapidly got out of hand. Outraged authorities filled in the entrance in 1854.
So we come to 1939 when a timbered shaft was sunk 32ft at the rear of 77 Maidenstone Hill where a short length of passage was discovered.
After a few minutes to allow the air to clear, one of the labourers, Robert Budd, of Dutton Street, volunteered to enter first. Carrying a lighted candle in a jar, he crawled into the dark recess. By the candle's flickering light he saw many dates and names carved on the walls. He called out that it was safe to enter and Mr. Paynter, the surveyor of Morden College, the owner of the land, and a group of workmen made their way into the main chamber where the floor was covered with broken bottles.
The intrepid Mr Budd then went on to search for the well chamber. His companions saw the wavering flame of his candle disappear into the darkness and then heard his echoing exclamation as the feeble light revealed a large red picture of the devil on the wall of the innermost cavern. More initials and carvings were found on the walls but the 21ft well was dry. It had been said that visitors dropped coins down the well for luck, so ropes were fetched and Mr Budd was lowered down but no coins were found.
In the following weeks the Council cleared out all the debris, installed wooden beams to help support the roof and sank a new ventilation shaft to the main chamber, but as far as I know the caves were never used as shelters during the Blitz of the following year. By 1946, it was sealed once again. The last person to leave the main chamber wrote the names of the party on the wall and left candles for the next explorer to find. The site of the entrance shaft is now overgrown and there is no sight of it.
One day, when prosperous times- come again, the Council might consider reopening the caverns.
They would be a big tourist attraction, complementing the Cutty Sark and the Old Royal Observatory and bringing in much-needed funds to the Borough.
Reproduced with the kind permission of The Mercury, 6/5/02