Lasers Uncover Nottingham’s Underground Cave City [Video]

The labyrinthine complex of caves under town of Nottingham certainly has history, from giving passage to sieging soldiers within the 1300s to housing an underground butcher centuries later. Now it’s all been thoroughly mapped, because of a 3D laser scan.

Above is an entire map of the Peel Street Caves, a former sand mine that was utilized as an air raid shelter during World War II. Many of the houses on the residential streets above the caves have basements that open directly into them, which seems like almost the good damn thing a kid could ever find in a basement. I mean, I was excited after I found my dad’s old trumpet inside the basement, much less an entrance to a huge historic cave complex. As an instance….

That’s Mortimer’s Hole, a craglike entrance wherein the soldiers of Edward III supposedly entered the castle at Nottingham and captured Roger de Mortimer in 1330. It’s among the many fascinating historical tidbits to be found at the Nottingham Cave Survey , that’s using a laser scanner to meticulously catalog the shape and surface of the complete cave complex. Here’s a walkthrough:

The project has catalogued over 450 sandstone caves under Nottingham, though Goose Gate sounds particularly intriguing:

Goose Gate is a huge cave system of varying date. The system incorporates a malt kiln complex and well, and a butchery of 19th century date. There are various interesting medieval sandstone pillars within this technique.The caves and premises above them are currently being developed for a cafe and bar. Customers can be ready to dine within the caves!

Dining inside the caves? That’s verging on a bit too uncovered. [ Nottingham Cave Survey via BLDG Blog via io9 ]

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This post is tagged: air raid shelter, residential streets, sandstone caves, sandstone pillars, town of nottingham