Williamson’s Tunnels – Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels
Williamson’s Tunnels – Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels
Williamson’s Tunnels – Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels
5
About
The Friends of Williamson's Tunnels are the custodians of two fascinating sections of Williamson’s Tunnels. The first, Paddington, is formed of multiple and impressive brick arched chambers. These chambers include the cathedral like Level 4, 60ft below street level, located on ‘Paddington’, Edge Hill, L7 3RG. Visits to Paddington are available free of charge. Second is Joseph Williamson’s House on Mason Street. Within the remains of Joseph's House is the remains of Joseph’s Kitchen, complete with 4 large fireplaces & cooking Ranges. Venturing below are the subterranean chambers, the - Wine Bins, Sandstone Arch, Gash and the famous Banqueting Hall. Williamson’s House is on Mason Street, Edge Hill L7 3EW. Extended visits to Joseph’s house are members only. Visits can be booked directly from our web site or e-mail, aswell as all information needed. All visits must be booked in advance and are Free of charge, though we welcome donations. FoWT run Tours on Wednesday's & Sunday's only.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Pam B1 contributionDon't wear your Sunday best!Visited on Heritage day, site pretty easy to find and there's parking. Very friendly volunteers, get issued hard hats and free bottles water, then tour starts. This was the friends of site on Mason st. and is under Mr Williamsons house,starts with exposed cellars/basements then goes deeper underground. He wasn't called the "mole of Edge Hill" for nothing, there is a warren of passages, rooms and stairs spreading in all directions. Very interesting talk from Lynn about Mr Williamson, how they did the excavations and the artifacts found and displayed. One of the set of stairs little bit claustrophobic cos very narrow at top but only short distance and opens up again. There is a bit of climbing up and down stairs but nothing to bad if you take your time. Nice and cool down there and defo need good flat shoes.! It was a great experience and will book for the Paddington site tour as well, apparently go down 60ft! Volunteers doing a fantastic job good luck to them for futureVisited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 10 September 2023
- Ian B2 contributionsHighly Recommended Tour of the Williamson's Tunnels House SiteFascinating tour of the House Site as part of the Heritage Open Days weekend. Mike our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and infectiously enthusiastic about the whole of his involvement with Williamson's Tunnels. I would thoroughly recommended anyone who's able to not miss the opportunity to take a tour.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 September 2023
- Neil MWarrington, United Kingdom7 contributionsWell worth the experienceWow! This is a truly amazing place to visit and discover what went on underneath Edge Hill in the first half of the 19th Century. There's plenty to see at ground level once you enter the site; we were exploring the Mason St area as part of Heritage Open Weekend. Then the tour takes you down, and then down, and then down again. Visiting the various rooms/chambers. Our guide, Tom, was very knowledgeable and made the whole experience very enjoyable. Please make sure you visit The Friends of Williamson's Tunnels as this should definitely be on your bucket list. There's another site close by doing similar things, so don't get confused by the signage. The passion of the volunteers when went was second to none.Visited August 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 September 2023
- Jemma B8 contributionsAmazing experience.I have wanted to see the Williamson tunnels for a while now and I am so happy that we got to experience them. The tour guide was amazing and no question was too much. All the staff were very friendly and welcoming. It's a fab place to go to and it's left me wanting to go to the paddington site now and learn more. Thank you all so much.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 16 September 2023
- Seaside485682428563 contributionsFantastic activity/excursion. Definitely recommendThis was such a great experience! Kyle (our guide) was so knowledgeable, nice and patient. This is an extremely interesting place to visit and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Well done to all volunteers, this is definitely something to do while in town, both for adults and children!!Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 17 September 2023
- Liverpool peasantLiverpool, United Kingdom21 contributionsSuperb tour and guideWhat a brilliant experience! All the family loved the tour and our guide Kyle was superb- just the right amount of information, enthusiasm and great with our young ones. Highly recommend the whole experience. Alex SumnerVisited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 17 September 2023
- verahuntWigan, United Kingdom10 contributionsExcellent tourExcellent tour, run by volunteers. Our tour guide Phil was very knowledgeable on the history and made it very interesting. He didn't rush you at all. Well worth a visit. Well done to all the volunteers xxVisited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 September 2023
- lottie19782003Wednesbury, United Kingdom12 contributionsWilliamson TunnelsFantastic tour! Tom was our guide, he was really informative and could answer every question. You can tell that he is passionate about the Williamson Tunnels, their history, importance and their conservation. I would recommend this tour to everyone, it's safe, hard hats are handed out before the tour starts and staff are kind and professional and caring. From my first email to Lynn, until the end of the tour all the staff were pleasant, helpful and informativeVisited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 18 September 2023
- Josephine RManchester, United Kingdom1 contributionInteresting underground experienceAn eye opening underground insight into the eccentric world of the philanthropist Joseph Williamson (the mole of Edge Hill). Our guides Tony and Laura explained really well the use of the tunnels through time, from building, use and finally filling up and excavations. There are some interesting artefacts to see from these digs. As you would expect its a bit mucky with uneven flooring, so best to wear grippy flat shoes and the hard hat provided. Recommended for anyone interested in history and building.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 18 September 2023
- Neuromodulator4 contributionsAbsolute must-see!Had an excellent time here! Hard to believe that it's entirely run by volunteers! Big shout out to our guide, Kyle, who's infectious enthusiasm and knowledge made for a fantastic trip into the tunnels. Don't think twice about it, go!Visited September 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 18 September 2023
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MJG
Preston, UK17 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We were fascinated by our visit to some of the Williamson tunnels and with the mystery surrounding them. I loved seeing the ‘treasure’ trove of finds and hearing the story of the eccentric but kind-hearted Williamson. The chambers were cathedral-like in stature and the dedication that has led to them being cleared, bucket by bucket, is awe inspiring.
Kyle was a brilliant guide and his enthusiasm for the tunnels was clearly evident. It’s amazing what all the hard work of volunteers has managed to achieve so far. I highly recommend a visit, not only to see the tunnels, but to meet some of the inspirational people whose hard work and dedication has made it possible. Thanks guys, we cant wait to visit again soon to see more!
Kyle was a brilliant guide and his enthusiasm for the tunnels was clearly evident. It’s amazing what all the hard work of volunteers has managed to achieve so far. I highly recommend a visit, not only to see the tunnels, but to meet some of the inspirational people whose hard work and dedication has made it possible. Thanks guys, we cant wait to visit again soon to see more!
Written 30 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doug B
Manchester, UK36 contributions
Oct 2021
If you're visiting Liverpool, you have to include a visit here as part of your trip.
It was out first visit to Liverpool and we made sure visited on a Sunday so we could visit the tunnels, after finding out about them on Trip Advisor. We sent an email to make a booking, and Lynn was very kind and replied within the hour to confirm our visit.
We met Lynn when we arrived at the site, which is only a short walk from the centre of Liverpool. She was very welcoming and gave us our hard hats and jackets, and introduced us to our guides Colin and Peter.
We were taken to the tunnels, and were blown away. To think that such a marvel of Victorian engineering was hidden beneath the ground is astonishing. The team had spent four years meticulously removing all the backfilled rubble from the tunnels, revealing what look like store rooms and great chasms, along with fascinating artefacts from the past. These artefacts such as poison bottles, demijohns and crockery are displayed in the tunnel and add to the atmosphere.
Colin and Peter's enthusiasm and passion was highly infectious, and we cannot fault their tour. Although the tunnels remain a mystery, they were highly knowledgeable about what there was to know about the tunnels, their founder, and the theories of what they might have been for. All the guests were made to feel included, and you could tell that everyone was fascinated and intrigued by the mystery.
After the tour, we paid a very reasonable £5 to become members, and were then treated to a tour of even more of the Williamson's Tunnels by Peter. These were even more stunning than the first, with mysterious narrow tunnels connecting vast larger chambers. The mysteries continued as we were shown just how far the team had reached so far, with a rubble blocking the way as the tunnel heads deeper underground. Peter also taught us about the fabled "Great Tunnel", which be thinks they have almost reached.
You can truly see why the team are so passionate- apart from the obvious fun of digging, tunnels and caves, this has a strong and complex history stretching 200 years, historical artefacts, mystery, and a fabled great tunnel- a sort of holy grail for the whole site.
This was the highlight of our visit to Liverpool, and we can't wait to come back and help out some time. The site is open on Wednesdays and Sunday, and the tour is fee. You can pay to become a member and visit the other tunnels too, which I would also highly recommend. A big thank you to everyone at the Friends of Williamson's Tunnels, with a special mention to Peter, Colin, and Lynn.
It was out first visit to Liverpool and we made sure visited on a Sunday so we could visit the tunnels, after finding out about them on Trip Advisor. We sent an email to make a booking, and Lynn was very kind and replied within the hour to confirm our visit.
We met Lynn when we arrived at the site, which is only a short walk from the centre of Liverpool. She was very welcoming and gave us our hard hats and jackets, and introduced us to our guides Colin and Peter.
We were taken to the tunnels, and were blown away. To think that such a marvel of Victorian engineering was hidden beneath the ground is astonishing. The team had spent four years meticulously removing all the backfilled rubble from the tunnels, revealing what look like store rooms and great chasms, along with fascinating artefacts from the past. These artefacts such as poison bottles, demijohns and crockery are displayed in the tunnel and add to the atmosphere.
Colin and Peter's enthusiasm and passion was highly infectious, and we cannot fault their tour. Although the tunnels remain a mystery, they were highly knowledgeable about what there was to know about the tunnels, their founder, and the theories of what they might have been for. All the guests were made to feel included, and you could tell that everyone was fascinated and intrigued by the mystery.
After the tour, we paid a very reasonable £5 to become members, and were then treated to a tour of even more of the Williamson's Tunnels by Peter. These were even more stunning than the first, with mysterious narrow tunnels connecting vast larger chambers. The mysteries continued as we were shown just how far the team had reached so far, with a rubble blocking the way as the tunnel heads deeper underground. Peter also taught us about the fabled "Great Tunnel", which be thinks they have almost reached.
You can truly see why the team are so passionate- apart from the obvious fun of digging, tunnels and caves, this has a strong and complex history stretching 200 years, historical artefacts, mystery, and a fabled great tunnel- a sort of holy grail for the whole site.
This was the highlight of our visit to Liverpool, and we can't wait to come back and help out some time. The site is open on Wednesdays and Sunday, and the tour is fee. You can pay to become a member and visit the other tunnels too, which I would also highly recommend. A big thank you to everyone at the Friends of Williamson's Tunnels, with a special mention to Peter, Colin, and Lynn.
Written 13 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim
3 contributions
Dec 2019
Was great to meat Lynn and our guide Kyle and the team and to see first hand the work you all are doing to uncover the time capsule of the Williamson Tunnels. Its great how this is a family friendly and free to do, and to see the digging site just a small fee additional. The deep voids or high ceilings (depending how you look at it) and my favorite part was the detail in the stone detail particularly in stairs and ceilings. Highly recommend and wish I had visited earlier!
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison W
8 contributions
Jan 2022 • Family
We went as a family today for a tour (age range 12 - 80) and every one of us had a fabulous time we learnt new facts about our Fabulous City and its history!! Colin was our tour guide and he did a fantastic job he was enthusiastic, informative and passionate about restoring this fabulous series of tunnels and vaults under the city. Totally recommend a tour we loved it that much we became members and can’t wait to go back and have another look at this subterranean world!! Lynn was brilliant when we booked in too super organised and welcoming. Thank you all very much ❤️
Written 16 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joy L
Liverpool, UK7 contributions
Nov 2021 • Friends
I went on a tour of the tunnels with my family and friends, and we were really impressed! I learned a lot of really amazing things. Our guide, Mike, was very informative and enthusiastic about the history of the tunnels. He was very patient and answered all of our questions, of which there were many. The tunnels are preserved by passionate volunteers. I would highly recommend this experience if you ever visit Liverpool, or if you're a local that wants to learn more about the city's rich history.
Written 15 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikejy
Abingdon, UK36 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
Friends of Williamson Tunnels - Guided Tour
By chance we were in Liverpool, staying with friends, over Heritage Day, when many normally closed places are specially open, and this included those tunnels administered by The Friends of Williamson Tunnels. The opportunity was too good to miss so I booked all four of us on the tour, which included those under the remains of his house plus some in Paddington area. Lynn from the friends was most helpful, both over the telephone and on the day. Our guides were the most excellent and knowledgeable Tony and Laura, both usually engaged in the arduous task of digging out the many years of accumulated rubbish, but who had made the transition to expert guides apparently seamlessly. Williamson himself, the tunnels, their history, construction, and the treasure trove of artefacts they contained, were all equally fascinating, and our two hour tour was nearer four hours. Two of the party have mobility issues but they enjoyed the tours of both sites and were able to manage the vast majority, ably looked after by Laura, Tony, and Lynn at “basecamp”. The artefacts that had been deposited in the tunnels under the houses that Williamson had built and rented out were many and varied, in remarkably good condition, as were the tunnels so far exposed. As a bit of a collector myself I was able to identify a couple of items previously unknown to our guides, so it was a delightful two-way experience.
It is a tour I can thoroughly recommend, and our friends joined the Friends group, which allows them access to the sites on future occasions. Only part of the frontage of Williamson’s own mansion remains and the Friends are lobbying hard to have it secured and retained. Once again, many thanks to all concerned.
By chance we were in Liverpool, staying with friends, over Heritage Day, when many normally closed places are specially open, and this included those tunnels administered by The Friends of Williamson Tunnels. The opportunity was too good to miss so I booked all four of us on the tour, which included those under the remains of his house plus some in Paddington area. Lynn from the friends was most helpful, both over the telephone and on the day. Our guides were the most excellent and knowledgeable Tony and Laura, both usually engaged in the arduous task of digging out the many years of accumulated rubbish, but who had made the transition to expert guides apparently seamlessly. Williamson himself, the tunnels, their history, construction, and the treasure trove of artefacts they contained, were all equally fascinating, and our two hour tour was nearer four hours. Two of the party have mobility issues but they enjoyed the tours of both sites and were able to manage the vast majority, ably looked after by Laura, Tony, and Lynn at “basecamp”. The artefacts that had been deposited in the tunnels under the houses that Williamson had built and rented out were many and varied, in remarkably good condition, as were the tunnels so far exposed. As a bit of a collector myself I was able to identify a couple of items previously unknown to our guides, so it was a delightful two-way experience.
It is a tour I can thoroughly recommend, and our friends joined the Friends group, which allows them access to the sites on future occasions. Only part of the frontage of Williamson’s own mansion remains and the Friends are lobbying hard to have it secured and retained. Once again, many thanks to all concerned.
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excursion819826
70 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Booked on this Sunday morning tour and was greeted by lovely Lin, very chirpy for a Sunday morning. After getting supplied with hard hats(which were very snug and comfy to others I'd worn) and hi vis jackets we were taken by Mike on the tour. He was very interesting to listen to. We were taken on many levels of Tunnels, and shown little treasures from days gone by that had been found on digs here. They don't charge for the tour but a donation minimum of £5 is stated on a sign but yo be fair it is well worth it and they are only managing to do what they fo on donations. Videos and books and badges are also for sale at a cheap price if you want any. Well worth a visit. Thank you for a great time we will be back
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nickjem
Liverpool, UK7 contributions
Aug 2022
Incredible part of Liverpool history uncovered, by hand , by a small group of dedicated volunteers. The photos and videos do not do the place justice, the size, depth and scale of what they have dug out is unbelievable. The artifacts they have uncovered by sifting through the rubble are on display and gives insight into the eras when the tunnels were filled in. I have been twice and guides Lynn, Colin and Mandy know so much about the history - not only of Williamson and his tunnels but of Liverpool in general. The safety of the tunnels is paramount - we were given a hard hat, hi-viz jacket and all steps have been taken to make accessibility very safe.
Sadly, they have had to stop digging. The tours are free, they offer a yearly membership for just £5 which has lots of benefits. I think if they charged a fee, well worth it for such excellent tours, they could keep digging.
Sadly, they have had to stop digging. The tours are free, they offer a yearly membership for just £5 which has lots of benefits. I think if they charged a fee, well worth it for such excellent tours, they could keep digging.
Written 29 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenn Walsh
4 contributions
May 2022
Hidden under a car park is one of Liverpool's most interesting and intriguing places, Williamson's Tunnels. My group of 5 visited on 15th May and got to spend a full 2 hours with our excellent guide Col. Like everyone else in FOWT, he is a volunteer and incredibly knowledgeable. He even pointed us to a secret spot where we could get the best views of the city for free! We would definitely recommend FOWT to anyone visiting Liverpool who wants something a bit different.
Written 18 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca Webb
1 contribution
Sept 2020 • Couples
Excellent tour which started with a warm welcome from Lynn (the lady who organised our tour) and Mike (our tour guide).
Mike was fantastic, his knowledge of the project and willingness to share his experience as a volunteer helped us to understand step by step the story of the site as a whole.
The tunnels are breathtaking; the amount of work originally required to; quarry, tunnel and complete the brick work is mind boggling. More than that is the monumental effort these volunteers have put in to not only save but excavate the site for us to enjoy is honourable.
Massive thank you for such an interesting morning. We loved it.
Mike was fantastic, his knowledge of the project and willingness to share his experience as a volunteer helped us to understand step by step the story of the site as a whole.
The tunnels are breathtaking; the amount of work originally required to; quarry, tunnel and complete the brick work is mind boggling. More than that is the monumental effort these volunteers have put in to not only save but excavate the site for us to enjoy is honourable.
Massive thank you for such an interesting morning. We loved it.
Written 27 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, how do I visit here. I went yesterday to Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre but learned today another place is in Liverpool with the tunnels too. Do you have to buy tickets ahead
Written 13 January 2020
It’s only open Wednesday and Sunday. You need to book ahead on the website. It’s a great trip
Written 13 January 2020
The visit was free but we were given the opportunity to donate which we were all happy to do. All the workers are volunteers.
Be aware there are two Williamson's Tunnels tours....one which charges for admission but is more the finished article, and the one I reviewed (The Friends of Williamson's Tunnels), which is still a work in progress.
Written 15 September 2019
Is it pram friendly? Can I carry my baby if not (in a pouch thing?)
Written 26 August 2018
Hi Tim, I am a volunteer with FoWT. Although we are not pram friendly and your little one fits into a carrier, you can take a tour of our Paddington site, but not the house site.
Hope this helps.
Lynn
Written 27 August 2018
Have you yet started on the Magnet site? Any luck?
Written 28 October 2017
Hi, we did recently have a dig on the Magnet site, we found many fascinating features and arches. Though we feel the actual Great Tunnel is lower than we first thought. We will not be able to explore the site for 12 months while the site is used for temporary storage. But we hope we can explore further when the land is vacant again.
We are kept busy at the moment on Williamson's House site, lots of interesting features being discovered. Watch this space 😀
Written 28 October 2017
En unos meses iré a Liverpool y me gustaría saber el horario y precio de los túneles. Muchas gracias.
Written 27 February 2017
Send a message via website on visiting.
Written 14 October 2017
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