Chislehurst Caves
Network of man-made chalk and flint tunnels in south-east London, explored on lamp-lit guided tours and used as a shelter in the Second World War.
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Om museet
The Chislehurst Caves are a maze of man-made passages dug over many centuries to extract chalk and flint. The chalk went to lime burning and brickmaking for London, while the flints were used for tinderboxes and flintlock guns. Stories of Romans, Druids and Saxons have long been told about them, but they were dug as workings.
The caves first welcomed paying visitors in 1900 as a show attraction, with guides telling Victorian audiences tales of smugglers and murder. In the First World War they served as a store for munitions sent to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, and in the 1920s and 1930s mushrooms were grown in them.
Their best-known chapter came in the Second World War, when the caves became an underground community and the largest deep air-raid shelter outside central London, taking in more than 15,000 people each night during the Blitz. After the war the caves hosted dances and concerts, and from the 1950s to the 1970s they became a venue that helped launch jazz, skiffle and folk acts, followed by well-known pop and rock performers.
Today the caves are run as a visitor attraction and education centre. Visits are by guided tour only, led by lamplight through the unlit passages.
Højdepunkter
- Lamp-lit guided tour through the unlit chalk tunnels
- Air-raid shelter used by thousands of people in the Blitz
- Underground concert venue of the 1950s to 1970s
- School tours covering rocks, Romans, Saxons and the Second World War
- Café and gift shop on site
- Grundlagt
- 1900
Entrépriser & rabatter
| Voksne | 10 £ |
|---|---|
| Nedsat pris | 8 £Seniors aged 64 and over, and children aged 3 to 15 |
| Børn og unge | 8 £gratis til og med 2 år · Children aged 3 to 15 pay the child rate; under-3s are admitted free on public tours. |
| Pensionister | 8 £Aged 64 and over |
| Grupper (fra 15 pers.) | –Private daytime group tours for up to 40 people have a minimum charge of £135 (based on 15 adults), then £10 per extra adult and £8 per extra senior or child. |
| School or children's group (per child under 16) | 7,50 £One free adult place per six children; extra adults £9.50; minimum charge £112.50 for fewer than 15 children |
| Private evening group tour (per person) | 20 £Groups of up to 50; 90-minute tour; £100 deposit; booked by phone at least two weeks ahead |
Adult rate applies from age 16 to 63. The caves state that they do not offer any further discounts. Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office on arrival for the next tour with free places; arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the tour.
Tilgængelighed
- Delvis kørestolsvenlig
- Elevator: ingen oplysninger
- Handicaptoilet
- Handicapparkering: ingen oplysninger
- Servicehunde tilladt
- Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
- Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
- Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
- Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger
Wheelchairs and pushchairs may be taken into the caves, but the natural floor is uneven, rather like cobbles, so progress is hard work. One person in the group must also carry a lantern. Guide dogs are permitted. A disabled toilet with baby changing is in the visitor entrance building.
Børn og familie
Velegnet til børn og familier
| Entré for børn | gratis til og med 2 år |
|---|
- Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
- Puslerum
- Børnefødselsdage
Children are welcome, though under-3s may find the caves intimidating, and unaccompanied children are not admitted: every child needs an adult aged 18 or over. A fun-facts sheet and quizzes for children are available. Children's parties are held in the function room. The disabled toilet has baby changing.
Transport & parkering
Med offentlig transport
Chislehurst station
Chislehurst railway station is a short walk away, about 30 minutes from London Bridge, with regular trains from Charing Cross and London Bridge. Buses 269 (Bromley to Bexleyheath) and 162 (Beckenham to Eltham) serve the station.
I bil
Gratis parkering
Free car and coach park on site.
The entrance is in Caveside Close, near the Bickley Arms pub. By road, take the A222 and turn into Station Approach by the railway bridge at Chislehurst Station, then turn right and right again into Caveside Close. Satnav postcode BR7 5QX.
Planlæg ruteService & spisesteder
- Café
- Museumsbutik
The café serves breakfast, lunch, tea, hot and cold drinks, ice cream, cakes and children's options, and is open 09:00 to 16:00. Outside food is not permitted in the seating areas. Picnic tables are available outside.
Arrangementer & udlejning
- Lokaler til leje
- Private fester
- Firmaarrangementer
- Bryllupper / vielser
Op til 60 personer.
A cave-style function room is hired for children's parties, private functions, wedding receptions, corporate events and community groups; the capacity is estimated at about 60. The caves do not hold a wedding licence. A licensed bar and buffet catering are available.
Forespørgsel & detaljerPlanlæg dit besøg
| Rundvisninger | ja · varighed ca. 50 min. |
|---|---|
| Tilbud til skoler | ja |
| Godt at vide | Entry is by guided tour only. Tours last 45 to 50 minutes, depart every hour and are limited to about 40 people at busy times. Sensible footwear is recommended and the caves are cooler than outside in summer. The caves may not suit people with a strong fear of the dark or of confined spaces. Special evening events, such as Halloween ghost tours, are held on selected dates. |
