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Most later alumni will not know that we had to wear gowns for all lectures,
in the library, and for formal interviews. Indeed we would not be allowed
into lectures or the library unless so adorned.
This regulation was rescinded during our period at Keele and so for many years afterwards moulding gowns would be found stuffed in odd cupboards, under stairs, or left in the little known warren of service tunnels which run under various parts of the campus. These facilitated unauthorised access up through the floor of many kitchens in halls. Those, of course, were the legendary days when women were not allowed in men's Halls, and vice versa, after about 7pm in the evening. Quaint wasn't it!
It tended to mean that after "curfew", when Bobby Rayne (Warden) patrolled with his little dog, people stayed where they were until breakfast the following morning, hence producing the usual consequence of prohibition; over indulgence.
Do any later alumni know of, or have used, these tunnels? They were large underground service ducts with heavily insulated (no doubt asbestos) hot water pipes running along one wall which supplied heat to the halls. A photograph I took down there, featuring Dave Williams, was published in "Cygnet" in the early sixties. Does "Cygnet" still exist? Probably not.
John
UG 1959-63 PG 1963-64 until I moved to Dundee with Prof. D.S. Jones.
Definitely Maybe
On the subject of the Keele tunnels - they definitely exist. Some of my mates
crowbarred a manhole cover up just by Horwood bar and went down there. Came
up somewhere near the library.
Gordon Smith
More Tales of the tunnels (from the Keele Message Board)
I believe there's a network of tunnels under Horwood/Keele Hall and probably elsewhere. In the late eighties, I had a Union collegue who lived in one of the wardens houses (for some reason). She awoke one evening to confront two blokes who'd got in through a hatch in the floor of the house. They'd got there thru tunnels. She was a rather an imposing figure and they scarpered before she could do them any damage. She reckoned they were probably trying to raid the tills in horwood refec, only to lose their way. Well it had to be the cash they were after, couldn't have been the food could it....
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The tunnels do (did?) exist. I was a student (1960-64) and lived in F Block (Horwood - near the rear of the Union building) for 3 years. 3 of us decided to explore them, so one evening we lifted the hatch, which was near the kitchen door, and dropped down. We were armed with torches and a piece of chalk (to mark our return journey). The tunnels were quite large and carried hot water from the nearby boilerhouse to the Men's and Women's Halls. After a while we decided to find a way out; we lifted a hatch, climbed up, and found ourselves in a Woman's Hall - I think it may have been L Block. It was well after the 7.30pm curfew! We made our peace, and headed home. When we climbed out we were filthy (dust, cobwebs and much else!), and decided that this was not the way in for a romantic tryst after curfew!
I remember the tunnels well. I lived in F Block for 3 years (1961-1964) -
this had access to the tunnels. I vividly recall 3 of us giving way to temptation,
and deciding to go exploring. There was access to the tunnels near the kitchen
in F Block; and, one night, we donned tracksuits and entered the tunnels -
armed with torches and some chalk (to mark the route home). The tunnels were
quite large and carried hot water pipes from the boiler house nearby. We eventually
spotted an accessible exit; opened it; and climbed out. Only to find ourselves
in a women's Block - well after the 7.30 curfew! We exchanged pleasanties
with some bemused residents, crawled back in to the tunnels and made our way
home. When we emerged, we saw that we were covered in dust, cobwebs, etc.,
and made a bee-line for the showers!
We'd found a way into the women' quarters; but realizes that those with amorous
intentions had better not use the tunnels because of the muck down there!
We did not venture down again! But. . . happy days!
(Tudor Jones Keele Student 1960-64)
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I remember you used to be able to buy a little leaflet from the union shop
which briefly mentioned them - I never bought one, but my friend Scott Corrigan
did. He told me he knew where they were. They ran from the KRA - which used
to be located in the basement of Keele Hall and right under the bank and laundry
(now a diner type thingy i believe). If you ever manage to find him I'd ask
him.
Donna Scott
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The legendary tunnels do exist! I only wandered down into them once in my
first year (1992). They're basically just service tunnels throughout Horwood
with the pipes, cables etc. Very dirty, very dark! We went wandering from
N Block during the night (entrance was a manhole-type cover in the cleaner's
cupboard). Hoped to get into the Last Resort bar for a few free beers but
ended up in S Block next door. Would've been bloody quicker and cleaner just
to have walked outside. As for the tunnel from Keele Hall to the village,
rumour has it that it was created either when the hall was first built or
around the time of the Templars and some history graduates at Keele swear
blind it exists. I'm not so sure - it doesn't make any sense. Oh, by the way,
don't bother trying to find out about it in the library - believe me the books
on Keele fail to mention the tunnel, Keele's most famous resident (Aleister
Crowley), the satanic ritual carvings on the trees in the woods and the murdered
woman found dumped in the pump house in the 70s
Liz Payne
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From what I recollect from discussions with various golden oldies, there were indeed and probably still are "tunnels". Apparently they were service access to reach plumbing and pipes underground. They were always dirty and unpleasant and very narrow, obstructed by the pipes and their fittings - nothing like the ones you see in Science Fiction films!
John Easom ( international alumni officer )
Definitive Answer
As webmaster of this website I get a lot of questions about the tunnels. So I decided to ask Dr Chris Harrison (Keele History Dept and local history expert) about the tunnels and he said:
"The auditorium, located at the back of the library, was constructed by Ralph
Sneyd (the re-builder of Keele Hall) as a Gothic folly in the mid-C19.
The tunnels were and in some cases still are the means by which "district
heating", produced in the Chemistry Boilerhouse and the Horwood Boilerhouse,
was conveyed to Keele Hall, the Library, the science buildings and Horwood
Hall.
It was possible to get into the tunnels then penetrate the science buildings
and library at night undiscovered."
