There’s plenty to Leeds that you can see, but what about the mysteries that are hidden from plain view?
From bomb shelters to tunnels, toilets to subways there’s a whole new side to Leeds that’s hidden underground. This subterranean world shows off different times in Leeds’ history, whether it’s burning ambition or a need to protect what’s already there – and discovering them is not a bad way to spend a day.
The Station Beneath a The Station
Credit: Tim Green licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.
Did you know that Leeds Station is built on top of another, earlier station? Leeds’ first proper city rail station was Wellington Station built temporarily in 1846, before a permanent one was fixed up in 1850 on top of arches across the River Aire.
19 years later Leeds New Station was built adjacent to the first, which was how it stayed until 1923 when the two were grouped together. City Station was rebuilt in 1969 when Central Station was closed, but you can still see it from a distance, if you venture under the arches. What you can’t reach, however, are old platforms, tunnels and and offices that now gathering dust within spitting distance of the thousands of commuters that pass through the new station every day.
Gotts Park Underground Bunker
The famous Gotts Park is home to not one, but two air raid shelters. Across the park plenty of portals or entrances can be spotted, though many have been covered up to stop people getting in. That doesn’t necessarily stop folk though, so we can give you a glimpse of what’s inside.
Deep below the ground is a huge maze of tunnels that suggests Gotts Park was more like a complex than a mere shelter. It’s in a dilapidated condition, with piles of bricks used to block the tunnels from adventurous explorers, but promises a unique insight into days gone by.
Woodhouse Moor Air Raid Shelter
It is the place to be when the sun comes out, but has anyone noticed the rather big mound on Woodhouse Moor? The concrete slab on top of it should provide a clue or two as to what lies is underneath and the air raid shelter it marks is a time capsule to Leeds’ past.
Split into two sections, one for men and the other for women and children, with a corridor in between, the entrances have been smothered in brick and rubble, but past all that and it’s remarkable that such a big complex could still exist, with all its original features, and go unseen.
Merrion Centre Subways
When Merrion Centre was first built it was a huge moment for the city and people were expected to swarm to it. To make that easier, there were a number of subway systems built so people could access it without crossing the main roads.
They’re all now out of use, but they still exist. A walk up Woodhouse Lane will show off one that went from one side to the other – and they were recently used for BBC drama The Great Train Robbery. There’s another, inside, that can still be partly accessed from The Key Club, which includes old offices and toilets, coming out at Fairfax House where it’s boarded up.
Meanwood Beck
An underground river you say? Well, yes we do. Meanwood Beck flows from Adel, through Meanwood and Sheepscar and out into the River Aire in Leeds city centre – more interestingly, the bulk of it is underground, and the perfect beginner’s spot for those looking to start urban exploration.
It no longer carries as much water as it did in the past, making it easier to navigate. As you go along, you’ll see the different stages in which it has been culverted, or covered up, in nice Victorian fashion – particularly as it passes through areas that helped to industrialise Leeds, providing water to mills and factories. Just remember those wellies if you want to see it for yourself.
Briggate Underground Subway
Credit: Leodis
Once upon a time, Leeds’ main high street was open to cars as well as people. Way before the street was pedestrianised, plenty of vehicles took to the centre, making it a difficult street to cross. Solution? To use a subway to get to the other side.
Constructed in the mid-sixties at the junction of Boar Lane with Briggate, the subway went from outside McDonalds to the other side by the Yorkshire Building Society with toilets at each end. For a short period there was also one from the bottom of Briggate to Lower Briggate to beat the chaos of Boar Lane – it’s a shame they’ve been bricked over now.
From Kirkstall to Horsforth?
Credit: Ollievision Photography
For centuries, it’s been rumoured Kirkstall Abbey had a secret tunnel leading from the abbey to elsewhere, as an escape route from persecution for Cistercian Monks.
Its existence is hotly contested, with many folk leaning on the hope that there is one. There are many theories – in the nearby Hawkswood Moor lies an iron gate that reveals itself to be a tunnel in the direction of the Abbey, while The Abbey Inn in Horsforth is also said to be the end point for the tunnel – neither’s true, but we can still hope can’t we?
