The hidden caves and tunnels of London frequent subjects of tales, with some being genuine, while others fall into the realm of legend. Picture a network of caverns extending 50 miles from the hubbub of London to the shores of Brighton. There were whispers that pirates and smugglers once hauled barrels of rum and boxes of tobacco and lace through these subterranean channels straight to London’s elite, bypassing import duties.
But is there any truth to such a fantastic narrative? Indeed, at least some elements are factual. The existence of the caves was mentioned in an 1880 issue of the Croydon Review and Timetable.
An article titled “Haunted” penned by an unnamed writer, referred to the caves as “shudderus” – suggesting they were exceptionally eerie. Within the tale, it is claimed the cave holes were known as a “robbers cave” situated at Plough Lane near Bandon Hill in Mitcham, now recognised as Beddington Caves.
Although the author recounted hearing rumours about the caves extending to Brighton, after exploring them himself, he concluded: “there is northing very remarkable about them”. The author recounts being informed that the caves were discovered by an individual who, while ploughing a field above them, unexpectedly fell into the “robbers den”.
The now sealed off entrance where children explored in 1960s and 70s
The caves are fairly well-known locally, with their entrance located near the Plough Inn pub on Plough Lane. It’s now sealed off, but locals recall it being situated in a steep bank amidst some brambles opposite the pub, and they would lower themselves into it.
Resident Sue Chester reminisced about her visits to the caves: “As for the tunnels, we stumbled across them by accident. When we were teenagers [mid-1960s to the early 1970s], we went exploring and found the entrance. If you go to the Plough public house and look across the road to where the back gardens of the houses come down to meet the road, there amongst the brambles, is the entrance to one of the many tunnels.
“As teenagers, we used to go ‘down the hole’, as that’s what it was, just a hole, no larger than a fox’s burrow. Once inside, it would expand into a larger tunnel. Venturing further in, we discovered a large ‘hall’ spacious enough to host a small banquet. We used to play down there. Suddenly, they were blocked off. We later found out that the council had done this for safety reasons.”
Steve Roud, author of London Lore, has noted that numerous fanciful theories have circulated about the caves over time. One such theory suggests they were utilised by Romans as an escape route from the nearby Beddington Villa during attacks.
Tunnels linking from Nonsuch Park
Another posits that they extended all the way from Nonsuch Park and connected with the Tudor palace that once stood there. There are also tales linking them to virtually every historic house in the area, including Carew Lodge and Beddington Manor.
One particularly eerie tale alleges that the ghost of Sir Walter Raleigh still haunts the caves, terrifying anyone brave enough to venture inside. However, Roud asserts that most of these stories simply cannot be true due to geological constraints. The local rivers, chalk faces, and gravel beds indicate that the caves could only be a few hundred yards long at most and were likely excavated for sand mining for industrial use.
The tunnels do not appear in any documents until the 1860s, suggesting that many of the older theories about them are probably unfounded – or at the very least, mere conjecture. According to the Mysterious Mitcham website, the system appears to be a combination of natural and man-made elements.
The London Speliological Society, upon examining the tunnels in 1940, suggested they were likely the result of sand mining. Their investigation led them to Queen Elizabeth’s Walk nearby, where a manhole cover hid an entrance to the caves. However, they were unable to gain permission for a more thorough exploration.
The Chelsea Speliological Society also inspected the system, but not until 1968, by which time little evidence of the mines remained. Historically, it’s known that Beddington Cave was part of the lease for the adjacent inn during the 19th century, with the publican utilising it as a cool, dark cellar for storing barrels of alcohol.
In the 1920s, an elderly parishioner, Mr Roffey, shared stories with Rev. Thomas Bentham that he’d heard as a child about donkey trains transporting smuggled goods through the night across the downs into Beddington. These smugglers were also rumoured to stash their contraband in the caves.
While many tales about the caves may be conjecture, they can’t be entirely dismissed. No comprehensive exploration of the cave system has ever been conducted, and now that the entrances are sealed off, it’s doubtful one ever will be. Consequently, none of the stories about the caves can be definitively ruled out.
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