Bedlams Bank is a very extensive firestone quarry ranging in age from the Late Medieval to the Stuart era and was worked by hand for much of that time, there are about 10 miles of open passages and several entrances. Firestone is a building stone and before the advent of the railways it was the best building material in the surrounding area, being used in buildings such as Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle; it has been a popular building material since the Roman times.
Headroom is low throughout (4ft) requiring a degree of personal fitness and stamina, the furthest reaches of the site take several hours travel underground to reach. Some parts of the site are old enough for considerable formations to have grown making it very cave-like and boasting the finest formations anywhere in the southeast. This trip was courtesy of the WCMS
The 1609 writings featured in the album gallery translate as:
‘Two Weeks Before Midsummer Lose Not Thy Time. The Loss Of Goods May Wreck Thee Sore (unknown) (unknown) Time More’
