A team of Nottingham archaeologists are using a 3D laser scanner to produce a three dimensional record of Nottingham's caves. So far they have completed 35 of Nottingham's 150 accessible caves, including several of Nottingham Castle's (pictured).
The project began in March 2010. "We've done quite a wide range of caves in that time in terms of age and uses, from domestic caves to pub cellars to sand mines and tunnels under the castle," said Dr David Walker of Trent and Peak Archaeology.
Nottingham's 450 sandstone caves date back to the medieval period. Over the years they have been used as dungeons, beer cellars, cess-pits, tanneries and air-raid shelters. Here you can see the caves of the Trip to Jerusalem public house.
The two year project is costing £250,000 and is being funded by, among others, English Heritage and the University of Nottingham. "The caves have proved an important part of Nottingham's history for nearly a thousand years," said Dr Walker.
The team of two full-time archaeologists can scan a simple cave in one day and the data produced takes a couple of days to process. But larger caves can take longer. This photo shows the caves behind the doors into the rock on Castle Road.
The enormous Peel Street cave system behind Mansfield Road (seen here in silhouette) took eight days of underground work. The caves were cut between 1780 and 1820 to extract sand for the building and glassmaking industries.
This rendered image shows a wine cellar and rustic lounge cave beneath Newcastle Terrace, The Park, Nottingham. "This cave is likely to have been designed by the Nottingham Architect T.C. Hine in the 1860s," said Dr David Walker.
Three cave systems - King David's Dungeon, the Western Passage and Mortimer's Hole - are visible in this laser-scanned image of Nottingham Castle and the Castle Rock.
The caves beneath the Guildhall (or old city courts) on Burton Street were used as air raid shelters during the war and then as the proposed seat of local government in case of nuclear attack during the Cold War.
Dr Walker said access is the main problem the team face, sometimes legal (caves in private ownership), sometimes physical (caves blocked / bricked up / flooded). The cave system beneath 29-35 Goose Gate in Hockley includes a medieval malting.
"Most cave owners have been very helpful and forthcoming, some even allowing us into their homes," said the archaeologist. The medieval malting at 8 Castle Gate is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
This means that it has been declared a site of national importance and is protected. This photo shows a pillar inside the maltings. Maltings were used as part of the brewing process. Nottingham was famous for its ales for hundreds of years.
Survey work will be finished in 2011. All the data and images will appear online at nottinghamcavessurvey.org.uk. It is hoped the project will encourage city residents and visitors to appreciate the caves for the unique historical resource they are.