603 replies to this topic

[Phyll]

Anthony, Thanks, you should write a book. Great scarey stuff.

[Anthony Mercer]

Nahh, it's just my story spruced up a little. It is all true though. The link I posted on my first post is a story of some cavers. That story is much scarier than mine though XD

[Archie2]

Good grief! Is this thread still going?
It's gone a lot further than the Caverns ever did!

Arch

Edited by Archie2, 03 May 2011 - 12:22 PM.

[quey03]

Hi,
Im a newbie to this thread and site but i thought i would leave a comment.I went down to the caverns today as it was nice weather and i havnt been in years.not much has changed since i was last there the vandalism,rubbish etc.
when i was younger i went up there quite a bit as i lived in the moss bank area on 1 such occasion which must have been 10 years ago i met these 2 old men who told me numerous stories mentioned before like the underground church,the lake and how the caves where used many a year ago by priests and smugglers to store things,i dont know to what extent they was true.They mentioned one story about a group of scouts going up there one day and 1 of them went missing and was later found dead in the cave,is this the same story as mentioned before with the soldiers does anybody know?
i would love to know if anyone else has been down in recent time and managed to get past them gates?or even if anybody has plans on going down there any time soon?I'd love to learn as much as i can on the caves and even on such things in the St.Helens borough.
Has James or anybody else learnt any more if so could you please post on here as this has been an excellent read.
regards
Stephen

[Olliebeak]

Hello and welcome to Connect, Stephen

First of all, don't believe all you hear about Crank Caverns - I'd say that 90% of it is 'wild imagination/fantasy' with perhaps 10% of an 'element of truth' - possibly even less than that .

Facts are

1 - that they are the result of quarrying

2 - despite all the stories, it's highly unlikely that they connect to Birchley Hall - though a possible exit route to Clinkham Wood/Moss Bank would be far more plausible.

3 - there is no underground church

4 - there is no underground lake - possibly an accumulation of water due to seepage - but NOT a bottomless lake!

5 - most importantly - THEY ARE BLOODY DANGEROUS! You only have to look at the roof in the entrance area, to see what condition the stone is in.


Every time that somebody has come on here with stories of maps etc, they have never materialised. They cannot possibly exist, or somebody would have wanted to ultimately prove their point.

I'd love to see a group of REAL potholers take up the task of exploring properly with head torches, cameras and all the correct safety equipment (not all these 'jack the lads' who keep promising to get in there) to put all the rumours/counter rumours to rest once and for all.

I love the place - honest. My first visit was aged around 3 with my parents who walked there and back (with me sitting on top of my baby sister's pram) from Denton's Green area, followed by lots of visits throughout my teens and even as an adult with my own kids as they were growiing up. My kids now take THEIR children .

[Phyll]

Hi Stephen, to Connect. Maybe this Wiki link will give you some info.
At the bottom of the page, you can click on to see Photos.

http://en.wikipedia....i/Crank_Caverns

Great Post, Ollie.

Edited by Phyll, 04 July 2011 - 08:47 AM.

[quey03]

hey,
Thanks guys i read both posts and checked out the wiki page they are very informative.I heard the same tales and rumours when i was growing up and i dont believe a lot of them and just think they was made up to scare youger children from going in there.i feel exactly the same as you in regards to the pictures and maps people say they have them or they say they know a friend whos knows the exact path to all levels etc and they all lead to the same ending no one comes up with such evidence and i feel they simply dont have them!!
Ollie i agree with you,i also would like to see a group of individuals go down and do a thorough search with such equipment and get the pictures that have been asked for over the years,hopefully it wil happen but with all the health and safety jargon of this age i very much doubt it will unless you can afford to do it yourself.
regards
Stephen

[Stoka]

Here's some up to date photos for you all to feast on. I've been a few times over the years and couldn't really get far in them, whether this is due to cave-ins or not i'm unsure but i'd love to go back with someone that knows the place better. And just for reference, the gate has been cut open so you can crawl in again.

[HORT]

Wow Stoka, they are by far the best I've seen of the caverns.
Have you anymore?

[Stoka]

Cheers for that ! Unfortunately not, I only ever took my camera down there once but i've plans to go back soon so watch this space. I do however have some pictures of the sandstone mine called Crisp Delph just down the road from crank caverns.

[jmosh]

Stoka is crisp delph mines near Skelmersdale?

[Stoka]

Yep that's the one. You can walk to it in 15 mins if you park at the kite flying field in Up Holland.

[daystate]

Stoka are you on "28dayslater" website by any chance?

[Archie]

Greetings all!

In a recent clear out of our loft, Mrs Arch found an envelope containing five photos of me in Crank Caverns.

Now, I have only been properly into the caverns once, around 1979 when I was recovering from a cartilage op on my knee and couldn't do any 'proper' caving in Yorks or Derbyshire.
Thing is, I have absolutely no recollection of the photos being taken!
I went in with a caving buddy, Ian McKay, who came from the Old Roan area of L'pool, but I genuinely don't remember any pics.
I'm too tired to be arsed scanning and posting the pics now, but I will ASAP.
Arch

[marky iota]

Surely it is just an old quarry and possibly inter connects to older working, the area is ful of coal, kings moss and sidings land for example, I can't see the draw old man made workings are so dangerous when no one is looking after them, rather you lot than me.