Was very lucky to have the chance to see this one! Amazing little place, very quirky only consisting of 3 rooms and very small adjoining tunnel but is very interesting all the same. I believe the correct term for it is a “Folly” in basic terms im from the understanding that it was a way for rich people to show their affluence.
The grotto, was believed to have been part of a hall that was built in 1752 (now demolished) and is Grade II Listed and due to the rumoured nature of its existance its possible that the grotto its self was a later edition. Now sealed this hidden gem will now only be seen via the pictures taken.
Grotto. Circa late C18. Carved from red sandstone bedrock with
seams of gravel. A series of interconnected underground chambers.
A plain roughcast arched portal in a steep bank, leads to an
aisled antechurch with groin vaults, at the end of which is a
rotunda (a circular chamber) with a colonnade of 6 Tuscan columns
with plain capitals and abaci supporting an entablature and saucer
shaped dome. At north end of antechurch a vaulted passage turns
north, with small saucer-shaped dome over corner, into antechamber
with arcaded walls, cornice and hipped ceiling. From the ante-
chamber a tunnel-vaulted passage to the basilica with 3-bay aisle
arcades with large square piers, plain capitals and round arches
and groin vaults to nave and aisles. At north (liturgical east)
end of nave a round-headed apse (large niche) with pedestal-type
alter. From the antechamber an inclined passage leads up to the
surface.
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-271276-grotto-at-former-hagley-hall-ngr0395-180
This is the current situation.
More information on the Hall,
http://www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?resource=23459
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I live almost directly above it (first house ever to have been built on land sold off belonging to the Hall around 1919)
That’s pretty cool, does the old chute lead up to your garden? I always wondered if there was anything else left of the hall or gardens besides the old stone pillars or who indeed owned the grotto. I was gutted it got sealed as I was just learning back then with the photography and it was a lovely little space!
There is actually a corridor beneath the main room that is goes under the town towards the cellar of the old cabin pub (now the vaults). There is a rumour that it actually goes all the way up to armitage.
There was actually a ventilation shoot you could slide down after the door was sealed.
Over the other side of the fence there is also an old air raid shelter as well.
I remember the ventilation shoot if its the one im thinking of that got filled with concrete. I remember a group of us started digging out the shoot in the 1980s and exploring it.
Why could this not be opened I.d pay to see these
I car remember this from when i was a child, it had a metal grid over the enteance hole, perhpas if i had a torch i could have seen down it. I remember also there was a bit stone fountain ( not working) in a gravelled area above the grotto, it was quite peaceful there as i recall, the good old days in Rugeley.