Crank Caverns

Coordinates: 53°29′28″N 2°44′13″W / 53.491°N 2.737°W / 53.491; -2.737 Crank Caverns is the common name of the remains of the Rainford Delph Quarry. It is a network of underground tunnels and caverns, as well as an extensive woodland. Information in the St. Helens local history archives states that mining began here as early as 1730, with a small stone quarry known as Rainford Delph. As the quarry expanded, cost of purchasing land in order to open cast mine it increased, so it was decided to opt for a different method. Instead of quarrying out the stone, they would mine it out, following a seam of decent stone until it ran out. This resulted in the network of caves, tunnels and shafts we see today. Mining ceased in 1865, and the woods and caverns were used as a game reserve by the Earl of Derby until 1939, when they became a storage facility for ammunition for the Anti Aircraft position at Crank. After the war, the caverns ceased use as a game reserve and have instead remained open to the public. They are now a popular area for recreation and dog walking.

The caverns

The mines are an example of 'pillar and stall' mining, with the roof having support provided by pillars of stone left in place when mining was taking place. There are two sets of caverns, the first and most noticeable caves have seven portals and lead down into a large cavern. To the back and to the left of this was a roadway which was sealed in 1948. Beyond the roadway is an extensive network of tunnels, with access being possible from secure location^{[clarification needed]}. The other set of caves lies north west of the first set. These caves lie at the bottom of a deep ditch. One is simply a short tunnel, the other leads into a deeper set of caves. The entrance to the deeper set of caves is gated.

As the caverns were not formed naturally, they are prone to collapse. Inside the caverns it is evident that many roof collapses have taken place over time, and the caverns are extremely dangerous.

People still go down Crank Caverns today, but due to health and safety issues certain areas have been locked, blocked off and demolished because of people getting lost in the cave. Also inside and outside the cave there is an issue with litter being dropped on the floor and certain surfaces; visitors of the cave have to be careful not to fall on broken glass or any other sharp objects. There have also been reported cases by locals and visitors that from high winds, trees have fallen down not injuring or hurting anybody but is still a big obstacle in front of crank caverns.^{[citation needed]}

Myths and legends

There are numerous myths and legends associated with the caverns. The most famous is that, during the Reformation, local Catholics being persecuted by King Henry VIII took shelter in the caverns and conducted secret mass there. As initial mining on the quarry only began circa 1730, this rumour has proved to be false. However there is some debate as to if there are natural caves in the area which may have been used for secret masses and somehow became incorporated into the Rainford Delph Quarry. Some stories report the caves running to, amongst other places, Up Holland in Wigan, Lowe House Church in St. Helens and Moss Bank in St. Helens, another stated that there was in fact a tunnel running some seven miles from St. Helens Town Hall to Crank Caverns in order to conduct 'secret' hangings. Due to the nature of the caves simply being a quarry, all of these are false.

The caverns are reputed to be haunted, though to date no extensive paranormal investigation has been carried out. In 1997, the Canadian documentary show "Ghost Hunters - Bust 'Em Up!" taped an episode titled "Jones'n for Jellies". The show presented what appeared to be sporadic images of ghosts purported to be that of deceased weatherman Jon Andrew who was said to have fallen into one of the crevasses after a bout with local legend "The Trollcombe" in 1943.

One of the famous Local Myths was the story of the children who went down Crank Caverns in the late 18th century. Four children decided to explore the sandstone caverns in the area and vanished. One child survived and told a terrifying tale about small old men with beards who killed his three friends and chased him. The petrified child stumbled over human bones in the caves and finally managed to scramble through an opening to the surface as a hand was grabbing at his ankle. The authorities were concerned because a number of people had gone missing in the area near the cave entrances. Two heavily armed soldiers descended into the caverns with torches and claimed that they not only found a heap of human bones, they also found the ruins of an ancient church of some unknown denomination. The interior of the church was lit by three large candles and grotesque gargoyles formed part of an altar. Throughout the exploration of the underground, the soldiers said they felt as if they were being watched, and also heard voices speaking in an unknown language. One report said that a child's head was found in a cave, along with evidence of cannibalism. After a second investigation, the caves either collapsed or gunpowder was used to seal them, and so the riddle of the underground church of Crank Caverns remains unsolved.

References

External links

• About St.Helens - has photographs at end of page