Chislehurst Caves About Chislehurst Caves

Chislehurst Caves

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The caves at Chislehurst are a labyrinth of man made tunnels forming a maze covering over six hectares thirty metres below the woodlands above. They were dug for chalk used in lime burning and brick-making for the building of London, also for flints to fire the tinderboxes and flintlock guns of years ago.

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First open to the public in the start of the 20th century as a showplace, the guides told the Victorian history of Druids, Romans and Saxons, smuggling and murder.

The last 100 years has added munitions storage for the Woolwich Arsenal in the 1914-18 war, mushroom growing in the 1920's & 30's and becoming an underground town as one of the largest deep air-raid shelters in the country, protecting over 15,000 people at the height of the blitz. In the 1960's & 70's as a venue for dances and concerts, presenting the foundations of Jazz, Skiffle & Folk music to the most famous names in pop and rock.

Grab a lantern and get ready for an amazing adventure! Just a short way from central London, close to Bromley in Kent, lay the Chislehurst Caves ~ miles of dark mysterious passageways hewn by hand from the chalk, deep beneath Chislehurst. Your whole family can travel back in time as a guide takes you on a 45-minute lamp-lit tour and tells stories of Druids, Romans and Saxons. You'll see the tunnels that were famous as a shelter during the Second World War, the Caves Church, Druid Altar, Haunted Pool and much more!

Miles of mystery and history beneath your feet