Books

Barons’ Cave Guide Book

This excellent publication has been researched and written by Peter Burgess, illustrated with pictures by Nick Catford and reviewed by Paul Sowan, between them the experts in their fields.
The book has 36 glossy pages with numerous illustrations and a plan of the system as it is today. The content is factual although it does also discuss the various legends and tall-stories surrounding this medieval cave. A great book for anyone interested in this quirky piece of Reigate history.

The book is available from the WCMS desk in Tunnel Road on the cave open days for £2.50.

Underground Reigate

This is a fascinating account of some of Reigate’s hidden secrets. Sand mines, wartime shelters, a cold-war bunker and a medieval undercroft all lie beneath us, in and around the town of Reigate.
Malcolm has spent nearly 40 years studying and exploring the underground features of Surrey. The caves of Reigate drew his attention in the 1970s, and despite various closures and stabilisation projects, much remains to be seen today.
The book is softback, 9″ x 6″, 52 pages, with 11 B&W photographs and contains the following chapters:

  • Introduction
  • The Origins of Reigate
  • The Sands of Reigate
  • Reigate’s Road Tunnel
  • Reigate’s Cold War Bunker
  • Monty’s Hideout
  • London Road Caves
  • Barons’ Cave

  • Tunnel Road
  • West Side Caves
  • Tunnel Road
  • East Side Caves
  • Other Underground places in Reigate
  • Reigate’s Medieval undercroft

The book is available from the WCMS desk in Tunnel Road on the cave open days for £6.00.

East Surrey Underground

Concentrated into a small area of South East England in East Surrey, there exists a great variety of underground features. Some are natural, but most are man-made. There are mines for building stone like firestone and hearthstone as well as sand, fullers earth and chalk. Wartime tunnels, cellars, and underground follies add to the variety. The swallow holes of the River Mole are also covered.

This book describes these fascinating sites, and explains how they were created, how they have since been used for other purposes, and why they are still important places that should not be forgotten and neglected.


The book contains the following chapters:

  • Safety
  • Introduction
  • Sand Cave and Mines
  • Firestone Quarries
  • Hearthstone Mines
  • Mushroom Farms
  • At Times of War
  • Deneholes
  • Fullers Earth Mines
  • That Sinking Feeling
  • The River Mole
  • Early Explorers
  • Rumours and Myths
  • Conservation

The book is softback 9″ x 6″, 121 pages, well illustrated with photographs (B+W) and location maps.
The book is available from the WCMS desk in Tunnel Road on the cave open days for £8.00.