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Hermits and hermits caves

Michael_Ingram

Michael_Ingram

gone but not forgotten
Talking of bluebell woods; how many of you posh Handsworth people remember the hermits cave in Handsworth Woods? You had to squeeze through a narrow opening on your hands and knees gradually being able to stand as you reached the end of the tunnel ending in a small chamber.
 
I can't remember exaclty; we just wen't there lots of times on our bikes from school in Handsworth or from home in Lozells. It was in the Handsworth Wood Area (Hence 'Handsworth Wood'). I wen't to Handsworth Grammar and our sports field was up in the Handsworth Wood area adjacent to the back of Perry Hall Park. This was in the early 1950's). I'll look up an old map tomorrow and give you more precise information.
 
There was a cave somewhere near Hamstead Hill going towards the village, right on the edge of Handsworth Wood.
 
the hermits cave

I know the sports field for Handsworth Grammar is off Wood Lane I think,
Maybe Paul will know - he might even be the 'hermit' who lives in the cave? :wink:
 
Here are three maps:
one from 1952:
1952.jpg

There it is just above Butlers Road
- from the mid 1970's:
1975.jpg

You can just see a small road leading to it: Limberlost Close (which is still there
- and current arial photo:
now.jpg

I couldn't include a current map as my street map has the rings going through Beachburn Way
The wood seems to have disappeared now.
It would be interesting to know when and why.
It looks quite small on the 1952 map but for us it seemed quite large. It was a great place for kids. The cave was a wonderful place but a scary.
The area was sandstone I think, so I guess today when children are kept in cotton wool, it would be considered dangerous.
 
I believe there is a Limberlost Social Club that has been running for many years - I wonder if anyone who visits the forum attends the club, and knows anything about the cave?

You are correct in saying its a large area Michael. the playing fields start in Romilly Ave and stretch upto Butlers Road - which is a fair distance by foot.

For a short period in my life I lived on Wellington Road.

When I visit anyone who lives in the area, I will ask them if they know about the Cave.
It just might make an interesting story for the Handsworth Site

PS - great maps Michael
 
Did someone call?:roll:

I'm with Di on this one (makes quite a change). :)

The only cave I'm aware of was near the bank of the River Tame where it runs through the Bluebell Woods at Hamstead - nearest pub; the Beaufort. I give it mention in my piece "Handsworth & Beyond" over on the main site. 8) Click HERE and scroll down to view.
 
That's why I didn't know about the bluebell wood Paul, the cave was out of bounds to me. For once I must have done as I was asked. :D
 
Hi Paul,
Can you describe the cave at Hamstead? The one I remember was set in the side of a sloping bank. The entrance was level with the ground and you had to crawl in down on your hands and knees. There was just enough room to do this. Often there was a puddle of water just a few feet in. You had to crawl about ten to fifteen feet and then the tunnel would start to entlarge. It curved round gradually towards the right as I remember and after about twenty to twenty five feet you could stand up. At about thirty to forty feet you came to a roundish chamber the size of a small room about eight or nine feet in diameter and six or seven feet high.
 
Yes Michael, that's exactly how I would describe the one near Hamstead. The entrance was so narrow, it wouldn't have taken much to seal it up and anyone inside. Kinda scary if you stopped to think about it - we never did. :roll:
 
Remember (Wish I didn,t)

Michael, Paul & All, I remember going to that Cave entrance but have to admit "chickened out", the other lads gave me so much stick but they nor I understand what was happening :?:
My legs & muscles just seemed to "Lock Up" :!: heart & head pounding I tried to get in but just flippin couldn,t, Age 12 , The shame hurt more.

Years later the same happened age 22 went Pot-holing 1st time at Himley Caves was Ok but "Sweating-unwell-tight chest" in large caverns but the narrow bit, Wow-Lock-up, had to be blindfolded & dragged out by ropes

Seems its this Enclosed spaces Phobia thingy & I definetly got IT :?

Fixing lights on top of Cranes on top of Rotunda, Loved it, But Mines or Caves, wow let me outa here :oops: John
 
Hi Paul,
I must have got it wrong; it must be the Hampstead one that I remember. Where was it exactly. When I used to go in the '50's we just seem know where it was and go there and the river rings a bell.
My 1952 has a small wood called Garden Grove along side the Tame just off Parkside Road. Is that it?
As I write this its beginning to come back to me now. Beauchamp Avenue is near there. I should remember that area well as I helped my brother on his bread round on Saturdays when I was at school and went out with a girl who lived in Vernon Avenue which is also near there.
 
I used to live in Inchcape Avenue, at the back of which was 'The Lane' [local name], a dirt track which led to Perry Hall playing fields and passing on the way the entrance to Handsworth Grammar School fields. I remember a Bluebell wood at the far side of the fields, accessed either by going across the fields or squeezing along the railings past the back gardens of Inchcape Avenue. If my memory serves me well this linked up with the area behind the Limberlost Club. My mum used to go to Whist and Bridge clubs there and it was run for a time by a neighbour, Cissie Hall. I remember the flats being built on part of the old Handsworth Wood, by the club and playing there whilst they were being constructed. A friend jumped from the 1st floor on to the sand and put his teeth through his lip-what a lot of blood! The fields in Romilly Avenue were used by my school, Cherry Orchard J and I. and there were wooden class rooms for classes 6 [Miss Millington], 7 [Mrs Dawson] and 8 [Mrs Seymour, I think]. The class rooms were heated by big oil stoves and we used to put our milk on the guard to defrost it in the winter. We used to get to this part of school by walking down the lane and through the Sports Club owned by Butlers [ a brewery company, I think]. Oh! Happy Days!
 
hermits caves

It was interesting to read this thread, as a former Cherry Orchard and Handsworth Grammar school boy this brought back many memories. The Handworth Wood on the map was built over with flats although a bit of wood survived at the back of Bultlers Road where my friend lived and you could walk down an ally at the back of the houses and play in the remaining bit of wood (mid 60;s).

As far as the mermits cave I dont remember such a thing, just past Hamstead there are Hermist caves in Red House park, just a few sections surviving now.

herm05-1.jpg
 
I used to go to the Limberlost when I first got married 40 odd years ago. My in laws Mair and charlie Dalton were members It seemed a very posh club at the time every one seemed to have money. We lived at the top of Sanwell rd then. I think the Limber was a tennis club. I will give Charlie a ring and see if he recalls anything, he is 80 ish now and my ex father inlaw but we still keep intouch.
 
Hey i know where it is i'm a wood boy right let me begin hamstead hill coming from city centre turn left on to friary rd then right on to grestone ave (my old road) past grestone school road turns changes to craythorne ave down to the end you will come to hamstead hall school round the bend before you get to acfold shops it's first left (can't remember the name) left again then the woods are on your right take path into the woods and the cave is on the left bank next to the river (get some pictures up dudes) last time i looked cave was filled in kids kept making fires in the entrance good luck bob the wood boy
 
I used to play in the hermit's cave.... Well say 'play' .....I went in once and it terrified me so much that I wouldn't go in again. The cave entrance which you had to crawl through eventually opened out into a small room which was lit by candles. It was above the river Tame going into the sandstone bank. There used to be a rope swing from a tree that swung over the river. If you had fallen in, the pollution would have killed you before the current did..... and the smell of that river was disgusting!!!!!!! To get into the woods we used to turn left into it from The Croftway via a right of way that folk who lived in that part of Parkside Road, used to take their cars to their garages.
 
Knowing nothing of the area or park in question, I have read through this thread and I cannot see a mention of this image being posted previously, but if it has then please accept my apologies. It may even have been this thread that I got the image from in the first place, I hope I am correct in my assumption that this is the place under discussion.

Phil

]
HandsworthRedHouseParkHermitsCaves.jpg
 
Do you have any more information about that photo. It doesn't look familiar to be but it could have been covered by earth when I was last there, fifty odd years ago. As I remember it, the area was sandstone or something like that. I can picture the opening to the cave very clearly; a small roundish opening at ground level that you could just crawl through which gradually got larger as you moved inside. Eventually you could stand and walk down a short passage which possibly curved around to the right until you reached a small round chamber at the end.
 
As I said, I know nothing about the photo other than it is tagged Handsworth Redhouse Park Hermits Cave. It's just among my collection because of it's Birmingham connection and I have no idea where I got it from as is the case with most of my photos. In all honesty I don't even know where Redhouse Park is or was.

Phil
 
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