| Event type: | Meeting |
| Date: | 19th June 2025 |
| Time: | 2:30 pm |
| Venue: | Kenilworth Methodist Church |
| Organiser: | |
| Cost: | Entry is free to u3a members. Non-members are welcome for a nominal charge of £1 |
Speaker: Alex Harvey
Is there being a network of tunnels under Warwick dating back to Medieval times and connecting the historic parts of Warwick? Local author, C.J. Wilsmore used a map of the tunnels in his novel ‘The Cave of Despair’ but the origins of the map are unknown!
Two brothers, Alex and Jon Harvey co-founders and creative directors at a local virtual reality studio, decided to look deeper into the legend. Join us to hear the story of how the tunnels were found and see the images of the tunnels discovered by Alex, Jon and their team.
Learn what historians now think they were for!
Review/Sumary of the talk - Paul Weller
Alex’s early introduction to video technology was when he used drones to produce videos of houses for estate agents. Together with his brother, they then set up their own company, RCVR, which provided virtual reality training for community life services. This service funded the company while they pursued their passion for virtual reality on the historical side.
One of the new company’s first commissions was to produce a virtual reality of the great fire of Warwick which showed the gradual spread of the fire in 1694. This interactive video is currently shown in the Warwick Market Hall Museum.
The company also produced a 3D printed model for St Mary’s church in Warwick which showed the church at different times in its history. This model was used by computer games companies, thus providing a useful revenue stream to help pay for the church’s restoration. A QR code scan enabled disabled people to view the top of the church tower via a virtual reality headset.
An immersive film was also produced that allowed disabled people to view the more inaccessible areas of Warwick Castle including the tower, the mound and the secret room.
360 degree immersive video has also been produced showing the garden designed by Capability Brown at Compton Verney estate.
A virtual ‘owl’ was used to fly over the grounds as a soundtrack explained the grounds and gardens below. Unfortunately, the video is seldom used due to lack of staff at the estate.
A digital copy of Lord Leicester Hospital has also been produced to use as a backdrop for films, therefore reducing the need for a physical presence of film crews.
All of the above investigations into the history around Warwick led Alex and his brother to learn about the possibility of a network of tunnels beneath the town of Warwick. They checked out many entrances to possible tunnels stemming from old wells and building basements. They used both scanning and photogrammetry below and above ground to try and map the tunnels. The Filipino cave rescue team, that saved the trapped boys in Thailand in 2022, were also brought in as volunteers to help the investigation which was hampered by many of the tunnels caving in over the years.
What were the tunnels used for? The current assumption is that they were probably used for waste and water storage, but the question still needs to be answered as to why the tunnels were so large and why a nework? The investigation continues.
A fascinating talk by Alex on the current scanning and video techniques and how they can be used to explore inaccessible areas. Because of the interest and questions put forward by the audience, both during and after his talk, Alex has kindly sent through a link which shows images associated with his talk. Please bear with the initial ‘marketing’ slides!
Click here:- Tunnels of Warwick Presentation to see a presentation of the Talk