15 February 2016

$400 billion secret hiding underground

One of Edinburgh's underground vaults.
Sophie Roberts The Sun
 
THERE are dozens of hidden tunnels, vaults and bunkers hidden deep beneath the UK.
From haunting vaults in Edinburgh, to £197 ($400) billion worth of gold buried beneath the Bank of England, here are six of the most intriguing secret sites.

EDINBURGH VAULTS

Chambers nestled beneath South Bridge in Edinburgh, date back to 1788. The underground site, which spans over 300 metres, used to be a place of horror.

Local legend reveals that serial killers Burke and Hare used the corpses of their victims for scientific research. The vaults were occupied by people during the eighteenth century, but had to be evacuated when conditions became too hazardous.

It wasn’t until the remains were discovered in 1985 that archaeologists opened up the ruins to the public.

LONDON POST OFFICE RAILWAY

Until 2003, Royal Mail used to transport post through secret underground train passages.

The tunnels were described as the “Post Office’s best-kept secret” as more than 220 people worked beneath the ground moving letters.

Deep down below the streets of London are the tunnels for the Post Office's underground railways. Picture: PA
Deep down below the streets of London are the tunnels for the Post Office's underground railways. Picture: PASource:Supplied

BANK OF ENGLAND

Hidden beneath the Bank of England are 400,000 gold bars that are worth £200,000 ($407,136) each and held in eight vaults.

Gold bullion bars in the vaults at the Bank of England.
Gold bullion bars in the vaults at the Bank of England.Source:AFP

The Threadneedle Street location holds an estimated 4600 tonnes of gold that is worth more than $400 billion. To access the hidden chamber, workers have to use a number of different keys, before speaking the password into a microphone.

Queen Elizabeth II inspects gold reserves in a vault at the Bank of England.
Queen Elizabeth II inspects gold reserves in a vault at the Bank of England.Source:AFP

WILLIAMSON TUNNELS

A labyrinth of ruins lurks beneath the Edge Hill area of Liverpool in the Williamson Tunnels. Historians believe they were constructed by businessman Joseph Williamson between 1810 and 1840.

It’s rumoured that he believed the world was going to end, so built the bunkers as a protection for his family and friends. The site remained derelict and filled with rubble until archaeologists dug it out in 1995, when it was made a national heritage site.

EA lamp within the Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool.
EA lamp within the Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool.Source:Alamy

CLAPHAM BUNKER

In 1944, a bunker was built to protect 8000 Londoners from bombs being dropped during the Blitz. After the war ended, the bunker was temporarily used as a shelter for 492 Jamaican migrants.

The premises remained untouched for decades until 1998, when it was given Grade II listed status by English Heritage. The London Transport Museum are now hoping to run regular ‘Hidden London tours’ and have begun construction on the site.

One of the main tunnels at Clapham Deep Shelter.
One of the main tunnels at Clapham Deep Shelter.

SHROPSHIRE HIDDEN CHAPEL

After enjoying a few drinks, Pat and Diana Farle decided to take a peek under a metal grid in their Telford home. Incredibly, their search uncovered a chapel which could date back to the 1700s.

Experts believe that secret religious services would be carried out in the hidden chamber, in a time where Protestantism was the prevailing religion. Since making the incredible discovery, the couple have noticed some strange ghostly occurrences happening on the property.

Shropshire Chapel. Picture: Newsteam/Snapper Media
Shropshire Chapel. Picture: Newsteam/Snapper MediaSource:Snapper Media

news.com.au 15 Feb 2016

If the corporate media did not report this, one could be mistaken for the whole story being a 'conspiracy theory'...