Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Priory Tunnel

A number of years ago, I heard on a radio programme, that there was a tunnel leading from Birkenhead Priory, that the Monks used to use, to a pub near Woodside.
Now I do understand that the pub would not have been there then, and they wouldn't be looking for a sneaky pint.
Can anyone say if that is correct or not and if it is, would anyone know what would have been in the place of the pub, or what the tunnel might have been used for?
Thank you.

If it's true there's a tunnel there, it's purpose could have been for the monks to SUPPLY the pub with beer rather than go there for a bevvy as beer (and wine,) making were once the exclusive domain of monks!

granny, because i know nothing i have had to ask my dad again, he says before woodside it was called monksferry. he says they are old railway tunnels that carried coal. they were blocked in the late 80s. maxine

I don't know if there were any monks at the priory after Henry 8th's time, but if there is anything underground there it could be either cellars for storing food from their farms for themselves and travellers stopping over or an escape route in case of being attacked.
Pre 1800s it's been said there were only a few houses in Birkenhead

Possibly the Priory water-well set well back thirty five feet from the Priory, [now covered by a factory unit]

Hi, Maxine; your dad is right about the old railway tunnel, but Monks' Ferry and Woodside have always been two separate places. Monks' Ferry station was the terminus of the railway from Chester before Woodside station opened in 1878.
https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums...ks_Ferry_rail_tunnel_Bir.html#Post688290

I haven’t heard the one about the pub, but there are a few stories about a Priory tunnel. One tradition is that there was a subterranean passage leading from the Priory, and at the time of the dissolution the monks decided to use it to hide their treasure. Unfortunately, while they were doing so, part of the roof collapsed, killing one monk and entombing another along with the treasure. The unfortunate monk and the treasure are still waiting to be discovered.

Another story is that the tunnel went under the Mersey to Liverpool. The Priory is also on the list of the many places that the tunnels in New Brighton’s Red Noses were supposed to lead to….

I've never seen any treasure down there on my travels

As far as I know, the Wormholes @ Yellow noses / Red noses where connected to Wilkies and then up to Mother Redcaps, there is a rumor that it also went up the hill to Saint Hilarys,

The only remainins of the tunnels are behind the dips in Harrison Drive, Ladys Cave and two smaller chambers are all that remain the rest collapsed due to a direct bomb hit during the war, there are also modernised bits under Wilkies amusments where they manufactured munitions during the war (was later a night club)

Rumour has it there may be guineas somewhere under Mother Redcaps, when the nursing home was built one of the diggers doing foundation work dissapeared into a large hole, on close inspection the found a big hollow storage area which led to a well full of old drinking tankards etc and extended into a series of tunnels, the foreman on the job was working on tight deadlines told his lads anyone who mentioned anything to conservation would be off the job and ordered the lads to fill it in, shame

I agree with nearly everything you say Nelzy (still not convinced about the nursing home conspiracy theory, though). The problem these days is that too much unsubstantiated folklore and too many old traditions are stated as being true and end up being quoted as facts with no proper research to back them up. I don’t believe the stories I posted about a Priory tunnel are true which is why I was careful to use words like ‘tradition’ and ‘stories’.

Nice one Night Walker, decent stories as well, didn't mean to sound like I was picking, I reckon you're right on the Monks Priory tunnels existing, just can't see it extending as far as New Brighton.

As for the digger disappearing, that is probably urban myth, I may have even read that in a Gavin Chappell book

There are train tunnels etc, from the old monks ferry that come out behind the bill boards by the Birkenhead Toll entrance, Chris Kay has posted the link above, pics are also up from a recent visit.