So, you’re in Liverpool and want to make the most of your time here. You could visit locations associated with The Beatles or take a tour through Anfield and Hill Dickinson stadium. There’s even an opportunity to get photographs of the city’s famous landmarks and grade listed buildings. But you want an experience that offers something different.
A 7-minute drive from the city centre, you might find what you are looking for. On Mason Street in Edge Hill, the charity organisation the Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels, operate tours on Wednesdays and Sundays to explore these tunnels.
Built in the early 1800s, they stretch across 4 floors, and were excavated once again in the 1990s to discover their original structures. The tour gives you a great opportunity to learn about their history, businessman Joseph Williamson himself, and how he used his resources to help build them. You’ll also get first hand accounts of the team’s work: hearing about the tools they used to excavate the site and what they discovered whilst removing tonnes of spoil.
Be prepared to get kitted with a high-vis jacket and hard hat (I told you it would be a different experience), so you’re kept safe at all times. The tour begins by walking past the front entrance of Williamson’s former residence, a front façade propped up by exposed beams. The real adventure though, begins on Paddington Village, where you walk into a gated off area to descend into the tunnels.
If you are worried about how dark the tunnels will get, don’t worry, they are well-lit and maintained. However, on Level 3, be prepared to walk on an uneven surface and as you walk down to the quarry on Level 4, you’ll use a metal staircase to get there. Level 4 is the last floor you can visit and is 60ft below street level. As we are told on our tour, along with the photo to prove it, the quarry was once flooded, requiring the team to use a dinghy to wade through the water.
Most of what you’ll find fascinating is on Level 2, where there are items they discovered on display. You’ll be amazed how well these items are preserved, thanks to the spoil covering them for a long period of time. There are glass bottles with marble stoppers, jars, sinks, and fine china to take photos of.
Their team is staffed with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. They’re more than happy to answer any questions you have as they weave history about the local area into the tour. On the day we came, we found ourselves with the delightful Mandy, who was happy to hold her team’s finds whilst our group snapped them with our cameras.
Expect to be on this tour for around 90 minutes and leave with a new perspective, knowing you experienced a unique piece of Liverpool’s history.
You can learn about the Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels opening times, tour days, as well as how you can make a donation to support their work by visiting their official website.
Liam Donohoe is a reporter from the UK, and holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing. He writes about cultural figures and fascinating places around the world.