Centuries-old 'secret' tunnel discovered by accident in Monmouthshire
A secret tunnel that has remained unused for hundreds of years has been discovered accidentally by workmen.
A team from Western Power Distribution were trying to move a wooden pole from a customer's garden when they unearthed the four-foot-high man-made passage in Tintern, in the Wye Valley, Monmouthshire.
The tunnel system was not shown on ordnance maps dating back to the 18th century and no one living in the area, or the local authorities, had any knowledge of it.
Western Power stopped work immediately and historic environment service Cadw was called to inspect the site which is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near the border between Wales and England.
Western Power Technician Allyn Gore recalled how "blown away" he was with the find.
He said, "Nothing had shown up on any of our drawings or records to indicate there was anything unusual about the site.
"But shortly after the excavation began, the digging team made the extraordinary discovery of what they initially thought to be a cave.
"I have previously been involved in other excavations where we've discovered old wells and cellars not shown on any plans, but nothing as exciting and impressive as this."
Alyn added that Cadw made the decision to reseal the entrance to the tunnel to prevent the risk of damaging it so that an in-depth archaeological examination could take place.
“We backfilled the trench and reinstated everything because it could take years before any investigations are concluded," Said Alyn.
It is thought that the tunnels could be linked to the nearby ruins from old furnaces, ironworks and forges.