Chamber of secrets Hidden vaults open up
SECRET vaults designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel that lay undisturbed for over 160 years before a chance discovery in 2002 have opened for tours.
The public will now get the chance to explore the mysterious vaults two decades after they were stumbled upon underneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Celebrating the 20th year of their discovery a new programme of family-friendly vaults visits are starting in April.
Visitors will be able to access a new platform installed in the largest of the 12 stone chambers which is 11 metres high and festooned in stalactites.
Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust chair, Chris Booy, said: “The new ‘Vaults Visits’ offer families with children aged seven and over an opportunity to access more of the space than ever before and connect with the engineering history of the bridge.”
Dave Hudson, head of partnerships and alliances at ITS Technology Group said: “Brunel is remembered as an innovative genius.
“He was not only able to solve the problem of bridging the Avon Gorge, but also was one of the top engineering minds of the British Industrial Revolution.
“The rollout of our full fibre Faster Britain networks is part of a modern day technological revolution.
“By giving businesses access to futureproof Gigabit capable connectivity, we are underpinning the technologies that help them to harness the potential of cloud services and other smart applications that rely on a fast, reliable internet connection.
“We are proud to be the sponsor of the ‘Vaults Visits’ this year, helping to keep the story of the Clifton Suspension Bridge alive.
“I am looking forward to donning my hard hat and exploring the secrets of the bridge that lay undiscovered for all those years.”
Tickets for April and May are available from 7am on Thursday from www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/whatshappening
New slots are being made available until the end of the season on October 31.