Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Doors open on Brunel’s remarkable secret vaults
SECRET vaults designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel that lay undisturbed for more than 160 years before a chance discovery in 2002 have opened for tours.
The public now have the chance to explore the mysterious vaults two decades after they were stumbled upon inside the massive two-storey abutments which support the bridge towers.
Celebrating the 20th year of their discovery, a new programme of family-friendly vaults visits is starting this month.
Visitors can 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.
“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 to book at www.cliftonbridge.org.uk/whats-happening. New slots will regularly be made available until the end of the season on October 31.