Wiltshire's Lost Tunnels. Hidden in Plain Sight

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Welcome to this weeks video in which we discuss what the Towns of Chippenham, Calne, Corsham and Cricklade all had in common. Now you may have already worked out its canal based, and maybe even gone a step further and worked out that it has a Tunnel Theme.
Picture Credit: Derek Hawkins
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[@LordClunk]

My old stomping ground this week. I grew up in calne, lived in Cricklade for 4 years. Lived in chippenham for ten years, and I used to explore all the abandoned mines around Corsham, with over 750 hours in Box alone.

[@johnhadden7733]

I grew up in Cricklade from1971 to1976. As kids we used to bike ride all around the local area, what I do remember from those days was that there was still water in the canal alongside The Fiddle and that the tunnel portal was still visible. It's a shame it's now lost. Also in1971 when we moved there (107 Deansfield) we were only 100 yards from what was left of the station remains. They were eventually bulldozed to make way for the road and what is now Saxon Close. Happy days!

[@4seasonbackpacking]

All these tunnels built in the past only to be left to fall apart. Such shame there could not been found another use for them. Thanks for the Video.

[@polarlicht4758]

Homes for bats...

[@2H80vids]

@@polarlicht4758 or mushrooms. That's the two favourites.

[@Chris.Strange]

The wall on the right where the buses are parked at 3:17 is the original canal wharf wall and under the tarmac the wharf is still there. It was last uncovered in 2006. Over the road, behind the library is the site of King Alfred's hunting lodge. That would be pretty good for a market town in Wiltshire but there's much more to see if you're interested. Like, say, Isambard Kingdom Brunel's house, and his office. He had a house built next to the viaduct, presumably so he could supervise works, and an office constructed next to Chippenham railway station. The obvious biggie for you is the disused Chippenham to Calne branch line that is now almost entirely a cycle track.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice little video, showing where the tunnels used to be.

[@ZonkedCompanion]

There's a lot going on under corsham! The ground in that whole area probably resembles a Swiss cheese. Bunkers, mines, quarries, tunnels, underground aquifers. So much to explore!

[@pwhitewick]

Coming sooooooon

[@ZonkedCompanion]

@@pwhitewick if you need any tip offs on access etc hit me up ;)

[@pwhitewick]

@@ZonkedCompanion please feel free to drop us an email!

[@TheGamingCucumber]

As I cyclist from Swindon I love these videos and seeing what's around that I didn't know about. Especially Cricklade, I cycle through it 5 times a week but had no idea it used had a canal.

[@oliverbutterfield9844]

This is awesome! Not only have you previously covered where I live currently in Swindon (short walk from both the Magic Roundabout and Queens Park) but where I used to live (Calne), and where we go every day for school (Cricklade). Great to see the places in your videos. Oh and my existing VPN service came up for renewal, so I decided to go for the next one popping up in my KZbin feed. It was you!

[@zGJungle]

Have you heard rumor of a tunnel in Calne center that is accessed via the river that goes to the church ?

[@oliverbutterfield9844]

@@zGJungle I have now!

[@zGJungle]

@@oliverbutterfield9844 I drive through there often and look down at that river going under the hill of the town and wondered if there was anything there, such a likely looking place for some tunnels. Today at work I ask my mate, who grew up there and knows I like exploring, if there was any tunnels in Calne and he says as a kid there was a rumor saying there was one going to the church and the other to the Landsdowne, which makes sense given the long history of both. I'm gonna get some chest waders and find out I think.

[@davebinsweden]

It would have been worth contacting the Calne branch of the WIlts and Berks Canal society. They do know where the tunnel is and what's inside it as part of restoration plans. I used to live just up the hill in Studley!

[@donsharpe5786]

Interesting. I knew the canal went to the south of Chippenham, because I looked at where it crossed the old A4 road. I both went to technical college in Chippenham and lived there for a while, I never knew the part of the town where I walked across all those years ago was the site of the wharf. It was logical that they would put it there though. One of the reasons why Swindon was the site of the GW works was not only the lines of communication to Gloucester and Cheltenham and being between London and Bristol, but that it was on the Wilts and Berks canal so that raw materials such as coal and iron could be easily be brought to the site before the railways were established.

[@derekp2674]

Really interesting, thanks. When I lived in Grove, near Wantage, I often crossed the remains of old W&B canal lock when walking in to Wantage. I could also walk in along the line of its Wantage branch. Later on, I think the old canal yard in Wantage gained a rail connection via the Wantage Tramway.

[@robertbartender591]

Back in the '70's when me and a mate was into bottle digging we used to dig the infill of the canal around Grove, as it was used as a dump.

[@malcolmsmith6615]

Absolutely brilliant! All in and around my home town. I’ve actually seen both portals of Chippenham tunnel. The north portal was just to the right of the breeze block wall and the south portal just under the path to the right of the grassed area. The Calne branch tunnel used to have masonry visible 30 years ago, right on the edge of the road, in the undergrowth. Excellent video!

[@SharpblueCreative]

Brilliant 🤩 I love the canal stuff. Being a Wiltshire boy and currently living in Stratton this means a lot.

[@donsharpe5786]

Another moonraker.

[@MrGreatplum]

A lot of research went into this - thank you :)

[@nilo70]

Thank you for making this happen

[@tardismole]

As soon as I saw that hidden portal, my mouth was salivating. Great video. Poor Corsham.

[@tonypowell2165]

I've looked out at the mainline from there. A very (very) long time ago we went into the tunnels when I was a cadet at school and our CCF summer camp was around there and had an entrance down into the tunnels so they took us down for a tour round, which included looking out at the trains zooming past.

[@tardismole]

@@tonypowell2165 You lucky sod. :) I'm imagining the thrill of it.

[@stephenpegum9776]

Yet more first-class stuff Mr W - well done ! And I'm pleased to see your greatly expanded list of patreons - always a good sign. 😎👍👍

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Stephen. We love the patreon and members community

[@RSBritain]

I love the atmosphere of your videos so much, the past and present but also a feeling of regret or yearning for the things that once was

[@pwhitewick]

Ah thank you

[@rogermorris6957]

Paul thanks for another interesting vlog you do a fantastic job finding these places

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you Roger

[@phillunn4691]

Another brilliant video Paul and Rebecca 👍🏼

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Phil

[@shirleylynch7529]

Very interesting. Great explore. Thank you for all your research and filming.

[@pwhitewick]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks Shirley

[@TheThejpmshow]

At last, someone that can say ‘Calne’ properly! Great video

[@pugsandportals326]

Great map collection you've got there Paul. Cracking video

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another great video! I never knew about the secret tunnel next to Box Tunnel and I know you said its a story for another day so I'll look forward to that other day!

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Henry. Definitely plenty of stories to tell from that tunnel

[@robismyname2192]

Really nice to see Chippenham on ye olde interwebs, I hope you enjoyed your visit here. If you're looking for video ideas, it might interest you to know the army (or navy, I can't remember which) blew up a section of our canal to test new underwater explosives during 'the war', I think you can still see the remains of the crater up there. Anyways, I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. Have a good one.

[@michaelcampin1464]

If I remember rightly Box Tunnel has a bit of history

[@piearm1271]

Oh yes, especially the quarries around it. And the bunker.

[@veryhappychappy12]

Green with envy at that collection of old OS maps. Great vid. Cheers.

[@pwhitewick]

Haha... all organised by number

[@ladylaois8184]

I was brought up on Box Hill. Went to Box Highlands school. Beautiful area. I also remember all the interesting places like Box Tunnel. We used to walk across the ledge at the top. 😅

[@musehic1953]

Stayed at travelodge out side Chippenham and visited Corsham round that area just love the places nearby. Would live in Bath if had a choice.

[@williamwelbourn7932]

Great video. Left me wanting more.

[@pwhitewick]

Perfect!

[@joshweinstein5345]

Fascinating, as always! I don't know if I'd like having an abandoned tunnel under my house... or love it!

[@simonballard6413]

How fascinating! Just shows what you can discover if you dig around a bit! A shame that so much was filled in. Thanks, Paul.

[@nickdsnik1675]

Paul, you hit a personal note here as my wife comes from Chippenham and my Father was evacuated to near Cricklade in the war so have visited the area many times. I checked out the old maps of Chippenham as was surprised to see "The Palace on site of Arthur's Palace" close to the Coal wharf at the end of the Chippenham canal spur. I had never heard of this so, as you don't do castles, will need to do some investigations of my own.

[@pwhitewick]

Sounds like a good adventure Nick

[@andrewmarch7891]

Thank you Paul fascinating as usual.

[@davie941]

hi paul and rebecca , another great video , well done and thank you again guys :)

[@annarboriter]

I wish you would explain in more detail what abandoning a canal or any other bit of once essential infrastructure entails. Presumably this canal in particular was built with a corporate charter. So did the corporate members all simply renounce their claims to the land, edifices, and legal rights of way? Or by this time, had the canal been already deemed a public asset in the same way that roads all were declared public? And other than being used as a convenient hole for dumping trash, what motives did a publicly elected body have for proclaiming a public good abandoned? I think there's a few videos in answering these questions, sir, the stories as to how so much of the landscape got disappeared

[@terryansell6641]

Always good to receive your videos always so interesting thank you from NZ

[@michaelcampin1464]

Thank you again very informative

[@stephenlawley8852]

Love your videos, you need to do one on the leominster canal lots of remains including two/three tunnels and the Rea aqueduct (bridge of a million bricks) and also disused railway which used parts of the canal bed.

[@thomasculshaw8843]

I love your channel ❤. It's genuinely interesting . Keep up the good work .

[@briantheminer]

Without you, history would die 👌

[@RobertSmith-zv1xo]

How you'd wish you could dig up those tunnels, but it's not to be. Always enjoy how you tell the story behind it!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Robert, thats exactly what we aim to achieve.

[@mgutkowski]

Wahay! My neck of the woods, we're down in Melksham. Though I'm from Cranbrook in Kent where you haven't yet sought out the old Badger's Oak tunnel ;)

[@buffplums]

Nice video buddy… I love looking at maps too. I use the online geofence maps and it’s interesting overlaying an old map with aerial photos … last night tried to explore a section of the old Donnington Wood canal in Telford and ended up scrambling through bushes and brambles, tripping over creepers etc… for a fat old bloke like me I’m pretty sore this morning lol…😂

[@pwhitewick]

Absolutely nothing like a hedge dive!!... keep going.

[@ReubenAshwell]

A brilliant video with plenty of interesting information as always. :)

[@bostonrailfan2427]

interesting delve into your mindset, Paul. trips based on boredom that turn out to yield much success in terms of unique photos but did give viewers a history of the location that’s just as good

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you Boston

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@pwhitewick I’m easily entertained and your trip was entertaining and gave reason to research things so that was a win

[@PROPHETVberlinschule]

Another cracking video, well done. Struggling to keep up with you folks workload though😀

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Prophet. Its a slog but keeps us busy!

[@lindamccaughey6669]

That was fantastic thanks. Pretty area, love the country area. A shame we didn’t have a tunnel to go thru. I loved that thanks. Please stay safe and take care

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Linda, very kind.

[@richardbrown8789]

Great video very interesting im from swindon never knew this! Thank you

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Richard. Lots of stories from Swindon to come.

[@richardbrown8789]

@@pwhitewick great look forward to seeing them!

[@everything777]

If I found out that I had an abandoned tunnel under my garden you can bet I'd be finding a way into it!

[@syncrosimon]

Brilliant 👍👍👍

[@fumthings]

some say that Brunel was a great engineer, others say that each year on Brunel's birthday, the sun shines out of his own tunnel.

[@hairyairey]

Not quite on his birthday. But very close.

[@christopherthompson2078]

Hello .building a car park on a canal .sure stops the restoration plans big style ,and housing estates too x lovely countryside though x

[@tonystone9367]

I am so interested in Box tunnel !!

[@robwilkie1]

Would love to see a video of the tunnels at Corsham. Lots of old mining tunnels there and loads of history from the war when the military had a big complex there. Still are some military installations there which I suspect are still pretty classified.

[@pwhitewick]

Watch this space

[@andyhill242]

I'm reporting them for cruelty to tunnels!

[@pwhitewick]

Harsh innit

[@neiljenkins2011]

Hey. You're by my house!!! You could have called in for a cup of tea! ;-)

[@banchangbill6088]

Can I suggest a place to research. There is a Bunker under The Market Square in Salisbury. Airvents can be seen at the junction of Ox Row and Oatmeal Row in southeast corner of the Market. Entrance is secured in the underground toilets on North side of the square. I dont think that this has been on You Tube yet.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you

[@petergrant2366]

Good one again Paul, in a way I'm glad you didn't find any portals, I looked for them 30 or so years ago and found nothing. I've got a picture of the Cricklade tunnel, 1970. Dunnington aquaduct is worth a look, it's a aquaduct but single bore tunnel, lots of pictures on line.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Peter, yup the only real mystery for me was the exact spot of the Calne one! (Southern Portal)

[@steezah8922]

Theres old locks out between lyneham and wootton bassett also

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

excellent video shame it was left to fall into disrepair another part of our heritage gone

[@pwhitewick]

Yup, I certainly think at least Chippenham could have been saved as a relic. Sadly they didn't agree!

[@davidrumming4734]

Buried tunnels under people’s gardens etc…..would they possibly collapse at some point?

[@Shaun.Stephens]

Am I the only person wondering why New Zealand is on your map? (Just to the left of Swindon, can be seen at 0:51 ) My family migrated from Chedworth to NZ in 1973 - if only we'd known it was that close we'd not have needed to spend 6 weeks on a ship to get here!

[@seosamh.forbes]

Who else thought that at the beginning he was gonna pull a book and it open a hidden door?

[@JamesF0790]

That's the eternal question isn't it? The infrastructure in the past was built for a purpose and when it's not being used with that how do you balance building new infrastructure and preserving the history of the old in the same place?

[@rexgeorg7324]

question ..how is it possible to get a mortgage on a property with a tunnel so nearby ..........................................................................................................................

[@pwhitewick]

Unlikely they would even know about it!

[@rexgeorg7324]

@@pwhitewick should show up an any worth report

[@Jimyjames73]

Well you never - a hidden canal tunnel sealed for ever - you never know some 1 might dig it up 1 day!!! 🤔🚂🚂🚂

[@pwhitewick]

We would love to see that!

[@Jimyjames73]

@@pwhitewick Would be interesting...😉🚂🚂🚂

[@katieistiredagain7288]

That sign on the floor was annoying me a lot

[@meatballburton4828]

Beer probs came from Burton

[@jcabral6231]

Save the pacers

[@pwhitewick]

All of them.

[@wgoodiew]

I wonder how many canal Tunnels were converted to railway tunnels 🤔

[@petermolloy6142]

Not many, because the routes were different, and the size and shape of a canal tunnel would have to have been altered, and that would have cost more!

[@petermolloy6142]

And, I forgot to add, the canal-owning companies were still in existence as the railways were being built.

[@MarkS-vo5vu]

I am confused Paul. Where you referring to the near canal or the far c anal??

[@wendybarton9472]

You should carry a pockey stick to poke about with.

[@sspoonless]

I miss Rebecca's wit.

[@pwhitewick]

Did you not see the last video?

[@publover273]

An interesting video, spoiled by the paid promotion adverts.

[@pwhitewick]

You mean the one at the end of the video which you could literally not watch if you didn't want to?? Forgive us for trying to earn some money.

[@michaelcampin1464]

I miss Rebecca doing the video's

[@AtheistOrphan]

Videos.

[@stephenphillip5656]

Video's *editing....* 🤨

[@pwhitewick]

She was in last weeks!

[@robertdonaldson6584]

Who was the last one to see Rebecca query

[@pwhitewick]

??

[@likklej8]

These old canal routes should be restored and reopened. Think of the tourism! or is our future dream always going to be car parks crappy designed identity kit housing and shopping schemes.

[@petermolloy6142]

Or rebuilt as bike- or foot-paths.

[@likklej8]

@@petermolloy6142 Toe paths are good bike paths too, canals are great for wild life

[@dylvasey]

Be very careful with what you're promoting! You suggest people change their location when booking hotels and airfares. I have worked in travel for 20 years and have seen so many people fall foul of this. Airlines in particular are not stupid. You check in with a British passport having booked something in say India (using the VPN) only to find this is well against T&Cs and the airline can not only deny you boarding (which I have seen literally hundreds of times), but they can also refuse you a refund, instead asking you to go to a local office in the place you booked the ticket. No one should be advising people to do this unless you're willing to give them their money back for their lost ticket. Just check the T&Cs and you will easily see the clause.