Locals find hidden network of tunnels underneath Oxfordshire village,
For decades, there have been rumours of a secret network of tunnels underneath the Oxfordshire village of Bloxham.
Now, a local group of enthusiasts have finally confirmed them to be real.
The Bloxham Underground Tunnel Society was set up in 2024 following growing online discussions about the mythological subterranean passages.
Since then, members have been investigating whether there is any truth to the folklore.
Thanks to a series of remarkable breakthroughs, they can now confirm the presence of walkways underneath the quaint village on the edge of the Cotswolds.
Incredible footage shows long, winding tunnels stretching beneath Bloxham, with signs they have been there for a long time.
Experts aren’t sure exactly why the tunnels were built, but some have suggested they were used as an escape route during the persecution of Catholics during the Reformation hundreds of years ago.
Local resident Dave Green, chairman of the society, told the Daily Mail his team were ‘very excitable’ when they discovered the first ‘spooky’ tunnel – and they hope to uncover many more.
For decades there have been rumours of a secret network of tunnels underneath the Oxfordshire village of Bloxham. Now, incredible footage shows the myths to be true
‘Like most villages in the country, there’s always myths,’ Mr Green told the Daily Mail.
‘But a lot of people never record anything – it’s just talked about through their parents and grandparents.
‘We decided to follow the myths. People tend to rubbish them – they say they’re ridiculous and not true.
‘But we don’t believe that. We believe what people say. Things get passed on through generations and some things get distorted over time – everyone adds to a story – but there’s usually an element of truth.’
He said the discovery of the first tunnel came from speaking to elderly residents, but the second was an ‘accident’.
‘For the first discovery there was a small door embedded in a garden wall, and behind this door was a tunnel. There was an old lady who lived in the house who knew the door was there but had no idea what was behind it,’ he explained.
The society asked experienced cavers from Birmingham University to do a risk assessment before they donned their headtorches and headed in to explore.
He said: ‘That was our first tunnel exploration which was August last year, and that got us excited. It was like a kid’s dream. The tunnel was 40ft (12m) long – but had other channels leading off it which had been blocked off.’
The first tunnel was discovered after the team opened up a door that was built into a garden wall. Behind it was a 40ft (12m) long passageway
The society asked experienced cavers from Birmingham University to do a risk assessment before they donned their headtorches and headed in to explore
There are also markings carved into some of the stones, though their meaning is not yet clear. One appears to be a double V symbol referred to as ‘virgo virginum’, which dates back to the Middle Ages and was thought to ward off witches and evil spirits
‘When we went in we noticed a difference in the air,’ he said. ‘There was a few of us in there so the breathing took some adjusting. But it was a fantastic feeling.’
In March this year another tunnel – much bigger than the first – was found when the ground gave way beneath a builder who was working on foundations for a garage.
‘That was 130ft (40m) long,’ Mr Green said. ‘But there were also chambers and large caverns which I could see over the top of rubble.
‘We really do think there’s a whole complex of these tunnels.’
Mr Green says he believes the passageways to be medieval – which could mean they date back 500 years.
While it’s not yet clear what they were used for, he suggested some may have been used as a hiding place or getaway, as well as for mining.
The team have found fossils in some of the subterranean stones, as well animal bones including what they believe to be a red deer skull.
Red deer have not been common in the area for hundreds of years, indicating the tunnels have been around for a ‘considerable’ time.
Mr Green says he believes the passageways to be Medieval – which could mean they date back 500 years. In many parts the amazing underground walkways are high enough to stand up in
The Bloxham Underground Tunnel Society was set up in 2024 following growing online discussions about mythological subterranean passages
The team have found fossils in some of the subterranean stones, as well animal bones including what they believe to be a red deer skull (pictured)
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They hope to get the bones carbon dated to provide a more accurate idea of how far back the passages date.
There are also markings carved into some of the stones, though their meaning is not yet clear. One appears to be a double V symbol referred to as ‘virgo virginum’, which dates back to the Middle Ages and was thought to ward off witches and evil spirits.
The group have also uncovered Victorian glass bottles, pottery and unusual stone piles within the subterranean tunnels.
The Bloxham Underground Tunnel Society consists of Dave Green, Martin Wyatt, Tom Smith, Martin Whytto, Simon Finch and Jim Smithson.
They said more sites have already been identified for further investigation, which could yield the discovery of more passages as part of an underground network.
