5:53am Sunday 27th May 2007
Amateur archaeologists have uncovered an underground tunnel which was rumoured to exist on the site of one of Bexley's former great estates. LINDA PIPER finds out more.
LEGENDS of tunnels leading from the Georgian Blendon Hall in Bexley, south-east London, have intrigued members of a history group for years.
The Blendon Archaeological and Historical Research Group has heard tales of tunnels leading to various locations, including inns.
With the co-operation of people living in homes built when the estate was sold to a builder in the 1930s, the Blendon group has been excavating gardens in search of the tunnels.
The group discovered only the surface buildings were demolished to make way for the housing estate.
Much of the underground parts of the old hall, including foundations, cellars and tunnels, were buried beneath the topsoil brought in to create gardens for the new houses.
Some people described memories of sheltering in the remaining cellars during Second World War air raids, or playing in them as children.
The excavations, carried out with the Kent Underground Research Group, found traces of earlier Tudor buildings on the site, plus prehistoric, Roman and medieval artifacts.
They went on to uncover parts of the external walls of the Georgian Blendon Hall.
Last month, the Blendon group also found a staircase leading down to the entrance of a tunnel which cut through the demolished remains of the Georgian cellar.
Members believe the staircase was created after Blendon Hall was demolished.
Blendon group project manager Roger Mayo said: "We were surprised by the discovery of the tunnel."
He says the group had expected to find part of the cellar of the Georgian building.
Mr Mayo added: "Instead, we entered and explored a length of brick tunnel which had not been fully backfilled after the hall had been knocked down."
Mr Mayo was brought up on the estate and wrote a book on its history in 2002.
Tony Thomas, the archaeological director of the project, says the excavations had broadened the group's knowledge of the original house.
Members believe the tunnel may have helped to "damp-proof" the eastern side of the house.
He added: "It is also intriguing to know if the tunnel ran around the whole perimeter.
"Whatever the scale of the tunnel construction, it was a considerable investment for the owners."
He added the work also helped to get a more accurate picture of where the building and the individual ground floor rooms were sited.
This is the Blendon group's third season of research on the site and members hope to continue their work.
The latest discoveries will be published and the group hopes to give talks on the excavations to date.
The last was begun in 1763 and demolished in the 1930s, although many clues to the once-great estate still survive in gardens and homes across the area.
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