SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Does anyone know what this strange underground bunker type thing is that i came accross in Adel woods. I found it close to the main road and close to the big house on the corner.Went on the 21st March and saw a man wielding or burning the big metal reinforced door where the old quarry is. Did anybody else see him? Does anyone know what he was doing??? It seemed as if he was breaking in or repairing the door.    

Hi i'm new on here but intrigued by your pictures, I am a regular visitor to Adel woods and can't believe i haven't seen any of them. On the other hand i am curious as to something i have seen, It is a stone hole in the ground with what i have been told is called the witches table sat at the side of it. The top of the whole is open and wide enough for two people to stand in and look down, i tried to look down but it is very dark and seems to go on forever from what i have seen but i can't work out what it is or was used for including the table. The table looks like it should be a sink.It is just off Scotland wood road near the ring road, down to the water, over a bridge and on your left.Can anyone shed any light on this.

Yeah, thats the old site of Scotland Mill - hence Scotland Mill Lane!The "table" was more than likely one of the Flax pits, used for soaking flax in its process of manufacture.However as for the small arched opening, look on other threads on here as It has been mentioned and there are some pics. It does end and only goes down about 10-20 ft. It would more than likely been a cellar from the time it was a Mill. Have a look on the thread "Bunkers"- there are some pics of the mill, the bunker/ cellar and the cottages that once housed the mill workes now long gone. Interesting history as it was here where Marshall first started out before building Temple Works in Holbeck, and Matthew Murray allegedly travelled from the North East and got his first job!    

If the "bunker" pictured is situated next to an old big house, as mentioned, then could it not have been an old ice store?

cheers thats been playing on my mind for ages.can't see them pics yet but will keep looking.

LS1 wrote: Yeah, thats the old site of Scotland Mill - hence Scotland Mill Lane!The "table" was more than likely one of the Flax pits, used for soaking flax in its process of manufacture.However as for the small arched opening, look on other threads on here as It has been mentioned and there are some pics. It does end and only goes down about 10-20 ft. It would more than likely been a cellar from the time it was a Mill. Have a look on the thread "Bunkers"- there are some pics of the mill, the bunker/ cellar and the cottages that once housed the mill workes now long gone. Interesting history as it was here where Marshall first started out before building Temple Works in Holbeck, and Matthew Murray allegedly travelled from the North East and got his first job!     I'm doing a little project around Leeds soon.. some of the stuff will be up this neck of the woods if you fancy some photos and a nosey around Lee. send me a message mate

No probs Phill will do. I am well up for that! It's my local!- Have to wait till I get home tho as I can't get onto private e-mail at work!!

Has anyone mentioned the babbling baby?Another curiousity in Adel woods.I think it was a natural spring which someone decorated with a crying babies head and of course the tears never stopped.It's fairly well worn now but not too difficult to find,only a few yards from the footpath.I'll take a pic.next time I'm up there.

stevief wrote: Has anyone mentioned the babbling baby?Another curiousity in Adel woods.I think it was a natural spring which someone decorated with a crying babies head and of course the tears never stopped.It's fairly well worn now but not too difficult to find,only a few yards from the footpath.I'll take a pic.next time I'm up there. Hi! Yeah, I took some pics last time I wandered up there.There was an old sandstone quarry behind there, apparently, and the Babbling Baby, or Slavering Baby, was created by some of the masons there. There's a book about old Alwoodley that has a black and white pic of the Babbling Baby. In the photo it shows the 'Baby face' to be much higher than it is now, and it flows into a trough around knee high (from what I can remember).Today the Baby's face is barely above ground level and there's no sign of the trough.The Slavering Baby... Close-up of the 'face'. The water now runs from beneath the 'face', instead of out of the mouth...CheersDave

Ayup Dave!good to see you on here.Actually I started a thread on Holy Wells etc so the pictures might be better there. I mentioned the well on that thread. good to see up to date pictures, there are more on the other thread.we will have to have a pint together soon.