Tel: 01983 855397 info@botanic.co.uk

The Tunnel

Our regular Tunnel Tours are currently postponed. Please email foh@botanic.co.uk if you'd like to enquire about a private tour.

Ventnor Botanic Garden has many secrets, some dating back to the days of the Royal National Hospital that formerly stood on the site. Underground caverns, secret passageways and a tunnel through the cliff can be found by the visitors to the Garden.

A proposal to dig a tunnel from the gardens down to the shore was mooted in the late 1800s.  The Royal National Hospital annual report for 1875 states that “There can be no doubt that if the patients were able to obtain free access to the shore it would be very conducive alike to their recovery and their enjoyment.” Money for the tunnel at that time was not forthcoming and although it was built later, its function was by no means the rather romantic conception that has given rise to a good deal of speculation and comment; it was in fact used as a conduit for rubbish that was propelled through it and dumped into the sea. Steel tramlines are still visible on the floor. Exactly when the tunnel was built is unknown; possibly it was in relation to a new system of drainage and sewage disposal that was completed sometime in the 1880s. The tunnel was closed at both ends in 1940.

The 350 foot long vaulted roofed tunnel exits through the cliff midway down and is inaccessible. DO NOT attempt to locate the exit, or try to enter unless with one of our guides, as the cliff is extremely dangerous. Bolted gates are also in place for safety.

 

Chris Kidd January Newsletter 2024

Ventnor Botanic Garden – the New Year’s Day Flower Count 2024  As the last chimes resounded from Big Ben, I downed my last glass of egg nog mixed with port and readied myself for the annual New Year’s Day flower count at Ventnor Botanic Garden.  The count this year,...

November Newsletter – John Curtis

November Newsletter  Kew Symposium on The State of the World's Plants and Fungi 2023 A Race Against Time Our Director, John Curtis, recently attended the three-day symposium at Kew’s Jodrell Laboratory titled, “The State of the World’s Plants and Fungi.” To conserve...

Chris Kidd April Newsletter 2024

April at VBG To the north of the Olive Grove several types of citrus trees are in fruit. In the Mediterranean where these are cultivated they flower in February and fruit in winter. Our trees have been outdoors for 15 years now following the same flowering and...

September Chris Kidd

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August Chris Kidd

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July Plant Fix

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The Further East Project

The Far East Collection is now the biggest development at VBG since the Australian and South African Gardens in 2004 and the Arid Garden in 2008. In November 2022 we made room for this project by clearing nineteen Holme Oaks, an invasive, alien climax tree species now...

Fast Forest: What is wild?

The rewilding concept has gained traction in Europe over a period of years as a way of returning high volume biota to a biota depleted environment.  The wording implies a return to a wild state, but the question is: what is the wild? The wild is an interesting...

A Month of Colour, Smell and New Plants

A Month of Colour, Smell... In our car park are a group of plants often commented on at this time of year, they are seedlings of a Coronilla “Brockhill Blue” that grew nearby, planted in 2005. These seedlings are quite different to the original parent plant that has...

Building Bridges and the Legend of the Blue Flower

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Anthropogenic climate change at VBG

  Anthropogenic climate change is visible at Ventnor Botanic Garden in many ways. Our comparatively cold winter in 2022/23 seems at odds with our allegorical claim to be Britain's Hottest Garden, but it actually highlights the anticipated consequences of global...

Frost damage in the Garden 

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Further East Project – November Update

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Best Small Attraction – Isle of Wight Awards

  Ventnor Botanic Garden - Silver for Best Small Attraction We are absolutely blown away that our beautiful Garden here at Ventnor Botanic Garden has received Silver in this year's Red Funnel - Isle of Wight Awards 2022 for Best Small Attraction here on the Isle of...

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Tel: 01983 855397  |  Ventnor Botanic Garden Community Company C.I.C  | Company Number: 07976468 | Registered Address: Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, PO38 1UL