A subterranean world hidden beneath Edge Hill could be lost to future generations.
The mysterious Williamson Tunnels, spanning from Mason Street to Grinfield Street, Smithdown Lane and Paddington, date from 1810 to 1840. Wealthy tobacco merchant Joseph Williamson employed out-of-work labourers to create a maze of brick-arched underground tunnels and vaults for seemingly no reason.
The tunnels were gradually filled with rubble during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and remained largely inaccessible until archaeological investigations were carried out in 1995. Since then, the Friends of Williamson Tunnels have made steady progress, excavating under Mason Street with the help of archaeology students from Liverpool universities.
