Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre

About the museum

The Williamson Tunnels are a maze of brick-vaulted passages and chambers cut into the sandstone of Edge Hill in Liverpool. They are linked to Joseph Williamson, a tobacco merchant and landowner who employed large numbers of local workers on building and excavation projects between about 1810 and his death in 1840. Why the tunnels were made is still debated; suggestions include job creation, quarrying and the owner's own eccentric tastes.

In the later 19th and early 20th centuries the tunnels were gradually filled with rubble and rubbish and then largely forgotten. Archaeological investigations in the 1990s showed how much survived, and volunteers have been clearing and recording sections ever since.

The Heritage Centre is run by the Joseph Williamson Society, a registered charity that receives no public funding and relies on ticket income and donations. Visitors see a small exhibition about Williamson and his world and are then taken through a section of the tunnels on a guided tour. The centre is separate from the other group that opens tunnels nearby, the Friends of Williamson's Tunnels.

Highlights

• Guided tour of a section of the tunnel network
• Exhibition on the life and times of Joseph Williamson
• Artefacts found during the excavations
• Run by a volunteer charity, the Joseph Williamson Society

Permanent exhibitions

• Guided tunnel tour – A guided walk through a restored section of the tunnels and chambers that Joseph Williamson had excavated beneath Edge Hill.
• Joseph Williamson exhibition – Displays about Williamson's life, his philanthropy and the discoveries made during the excavations.

Founded

2002

Operated by

Joseph Williamson Society

Admission & discounts

Payment can be made in cash, by cheque or by card. Visitors who pay UK income tax can turn the ticket price into a Gift Aid donation, which adds about 10% (50p on an adult ticket).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The tunnels are not suitable for wheelchair users; only the café, the exhibition area and the toilets are accessible. The tour moves slowly and includes steps and uneven surfaces, and visitors with limited mobility who can manage a normal house staircase can usually complete it. There is no induction loop at present. Guide dogs are welcome, and visitors are advised to phone beforehand to discuss their needs.

Kids & families

A family ticket is available, and there are primary and secondary school programmes. The tunnel network includes steps and uneven ground.

Getting there & parking

The centre is in the Old Stable Yard on Smithdown Lane, next to the police station.

Amenities & dining

• Café

There is a small café in the exhibition area.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit