Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Bebington to Speke tunnel

"The Thames Tunnel is an underwater tunnel, built beneath the River Thames in London, United Kingdom connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping. It measures 35 feet (11 m) wide by 20 feet (6 m) high and is 1,300 feet (396 m) long, running at a depth of 75 feet (23 m) below the river's surface (measured at high tide). It was the first tunnel known successfully to have been constructed underneath a navigable river[1], and was built between 1825 and 1843 using Marc Isambard Brunel's newly invented tunnelling shield technology, by him and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel." Link

If Brunel struggled with it, I really dont think a group of 16th century monks would have tried. But its interesting to debate it.

If the monks did manage to build a tunnel i can't imagine it to be as grand as the Thames Tunnel or for any thing like the same usage, but more like the Roman aqueduct tunnel that stretched 66 mile to take water to Syria, which took 100 years to complete. There we have the question when is a tunnel not a tunnel.

Yep thats true, but also your talking about the technology of one of the greatest civilisations ever and their army, resources and workforce.

Not a small group of monks from Wirral with daft haircuts
:o)

Good Grief Sir, Remember their British

No No No No No NO !!

In 1500 they were not British they were 'English' :o)

Quite right, slap my own wrist.

I don't think the monks could shore up, or divert the River Mersey - nobody before the C19th had successfully tunneled under a river anywhere near this sort of distance.

As I stated earlier, they wouldn't be able to provide a pumping solution to keep the tunnel clear of water.

when is a tunnel not a tunnel.WHEN ITS A MOLE HOLE

maybe there could be a forgotin tunnal from speke hall to bebington, long forgotin and blocked off that goes under the mersey to rock ferry by the old shore which could be connected to the other tunnals like the monks tunnals but if there part of the railway then that rules that out. who knows its possable id say, i every much think that it wouldnt be there any more with the stress of the mersey water over it and the planes landing in speke but maybe there was once a tunnal...?