A Monmouthshire man’s search for mythical creatures inadvertently led to the discovery of a hidden portal to what is believed to be Abergavenny’s legendary network of secret tunnels. This discovery brings a centuries-old local legend back to life and intrigues both locals and historians alike.
Johnny Turnip, a semi-professional long-distance runner, along with his comrades Big Tony and Puerto Rico Paul, stumbled upon the entrance while pursuing what they thought could be a glimpse of the mythical Tylwyth Teg—a fairy folk creature from Welsh folklore. Their initial, unconventional methods included erecting a steel structure on Hay Bluff to attract and capture a fairy. But after a fruitless night that ended with the sighting of a mere hedgehog rather than any mythical being, the trio followed the creature to an unexpected revelation: a hidden entrance to an extensive tunnel network that had been lost to time beneath the streets of Abergavenny.
“I was trying to make contact with one of the fair folk when it happened,” explained Turnip. “I know that may sound like the ramblings of a lunatic and once I would have agreed with you. However, after my encounter with a member of the Tylwyth Teg the other week on top of the Blorenge I’m one of the wide awake gang now. I know those mythical creatures are real and if we had attempted to catch it, instead of fleeing the scene in fright we could have been kings of the world. Fairies can grant wishes see, and now we know they’re real we’re going to capture one and make it do our bidding.”
Turnip disclosed that during his first attempt to trap and domesticate a Tylwyth Teg, he, along with his comrades Big Tony and Puerto Rico Paul, faced failure. The trio’s moment of reflection was interrupted by a rustling sound emanating from a tree nearby. Under the moonlight, a small mystical being emerged and cautiously approached them. Recalling the incident, Turnip mentioned, “Big Tony readied his net, ready to capture the creature, but Puerto Paul shouted, ‘Don’t touch it, you oaf! It’s just a hedgehog!'”
“You can imagine our disappointment,” explained Turnip, “We came for the wings and we got the spikes! The hedgehog wandered by all brazen, and gave us a contemptuous scowl that seemed to suggest, ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys.’
“However, when we followed ‘the oracle of spikes’, we found something a lot better than a fairy, we found the secret entrance to Abergavenny’s lost network of tunnels.”
Throughout the centuries, there have been widespread rumors about Abergavenny being situated above an extensive underground system of tunnels that were utilized by various historical figures, ranging from Owain Glyndwr to monks with unconventional desires. Throughout the years, numerous amateur detectives have endeavored to verify the existence of the tunnels without success, until this moment…
Interestingly, this is not the only such discovery in Monmouthshire. A similar find was made in Tintern, where workmen from Western Power Distribution unearthed a centuries-old man-made passage, also previously unknown and unrecorded. Allyn Gore, a technician at the scene, said, “But shortly after the excavation began, the digging team made the extraordinary discovery of what they initially thought to be a cave.” The Western Power team and Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic and cultural heritage service, decided to reseal the tunnel to protect it pending further archaeological examination.
While authorities and Cadw have been made aware of the Abergavenny find, the real extent and purpose of these tunnels remain a matter of speculation and await in-depth investigation. These discoveries have sparked a renewed interest in the area’s hidden histories and the secrets that lie beneath the surface of this Welsh town.
Relevant articles:
– Monmouthshire man claims he has found the entrance to secret tunnel network