The Williamson Tunnels

The Williamson Tunnels comprise a labyrinth of tunnels in the Edge Hill area of Liverpool England.  These tunnels were built on the order of an eccentric businessmen named Joseph Williamson between 1800 and 1840.  These tunnels are erratic with no apparent purpose and they were derelict until 1995 when archaeologists decided to take a look at what was in them.

It was also during 1995 that a map of the tunnels was finally produced but even these are incomplete as many of them wre filled in and covered with rubble.  The boundaries of the tunnels are a rectangle an east to the Liverpool Metropolitan cathedral in a rectangular area bordered by Mason Street, Grinfield Street, Smithdown Lane and Paddington. It was found that many of the tunnels led to differen rooms including a famous banqueting hall which is about seventy feet long and twenty feet wide.  Smaller roomare only four feet wide and six feet high.

The history of these tunnels are a bit weird. Joseph Williamson bought this land in the area of Mason Street in Liverpool and also built some eccentric houses nearby. There were cliffs behind the homes that inspired Williamson to add arched terraces. He then built a labyrinth of brick arched tunnels that went off in several directions. The building of this network of tunnels and arches did nto stop until his death. The tunnels were not like much by the town. They would not drain properly and fill with offensive water. People also used the tunnels for dumping refuse. In fact chutes were built in nearby building for simply sliding the garbage right into the Williamson tunnels.

The reasons for building these tunnels at all obscure. Some think he built them because he was the head of an extremist religious sect that needed a place to meet.  Some think he feared the end of the world and was building a place to stay.  Others who were employed by him said he did it to keep the poor employed and that it was a useless but charitable project.

Since they were excavated part of the tunnels have been open in to the public.  This is known as the Stable Yard Section. Visitors are taken on a guided tour that includes various artifacts that were unearthed during the rediscovery of the site.  Special events such as art shows and performances are also held on the Willamson’s Tunnels site.