oldreigate.com - a pictorial history
Search oldreigate.com     
for pictures, places / pages, publishers, comments
 
If you like oldreigate.com donate to Médecins Sans Frontières here.


Latest pictures

This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:17:21.Reigate, Colley Hill....


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:14:41.Old Merstham. 1932....


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:10:02.The Church, Walton on...


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:06:59.County Hosplital,...


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:03:44."Bridge House" Country...


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 15:00:37.To Miss D. Baber,...


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 14:57:33.Mertstham....


This picture was uploaded on
Friday 22 May 2026 14:54:22....


See all of the latest images ...











<- Previous picture Slide show Next picture ->
Find this image on  London Road, Reigate  Reigate's caves  and publisher The Illustrated London News  and year 1860 

Image number 2838
oldreigate.com image number 2838
Share with ...

Fall of cottages into a sand cave at Reigate. May 19 1860. The Illustrated London News. "On the morning of Wednesday week the inhabitants of Reigate were alarmed by a loud report, which at first was believed to be the shock of an earthquake, but it was soon ascertained that it arose from a large sand cave belonging to the premises of the Red Cross Inn having fallen in. Over this cave there were erected several cottages, and five of these, or at least portions of them, fell in with the cave, and ten others appeared to be hanging as it were by a mere thread. The escape of persons (twenty-three in number) who resided in the cottages was marvellous. The bedsteads in four of the cottages were partly hanging over the chasm, and in one of them a poor woman was lying very ill, her medical attendment having just left her. She was taken out of the front window. The inhabitants of Reigate have kindly got up a subscription in aid of the poor people who have had their furniture destroyed by this singular accident."
Comment 1

Bruce Richardson from Heswall posted this comment on Friday 01 February 2013 22:07:00.

I remember hearing that back in Victorian times you could get bed and board in the Red Cross in return for working in the sand mines.

When I was growing up in the 1980's it was a right of passage to go down the caves illicitly. The entrance was behind the advertising hoardings next to Reigate Exhausts, it was sealed up not long after.



This image was uploaded on Saturday 08 November 2003 15:20:46.

Enter a comment for the website on the picture number 2838 ...
(Please note that all entries are moderated so there will be a delay before your comments appear, and your address of will be remembered but not displayed.)
Your full name:
Town where you live:

Your email address:
(this will not be published on the site - see our privacy policy)
Email alerts on future comments:
Yes or No
Your comment:

For verification, type Verificationin the field to the right ->  



Website Copyright © 2002-2026 Paul Walters.
Ownership of all of the material on this website remains with the respective owners.
No part of the website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means,
electronic or manual, without prior permission from the website author.
Please read a statement on copyright, our privacy policy, and our cookie policy.









Latest comments

Stephen Maughan, GLOUCESTER on Sunday 09 August 2026 20:48:24.Hi Patrick, I think I...


Patrick Finegan, United States on Sunday 09 August 2026 20:22:58.Stephen Maughan I...


Patrick Finegan, United States on Sunday 09 August 2026 00:11:35.Hi Stephen, I don't...


Wes Gibbons, Sitges on Monday 27 July 2026 14:50:00.Umberto Regan was a...


Kate R, Totnes on Saturday 18 July 2026 21:01:09.My mother Sylvia nee...


Graham Matthew, Rotherham on Monday 29 June 2026 19:04:23.My Aunt, Marjorie, a...


Douglas Mitchell, TEDDINGTON, MIDDLESEX on Tuesday 27 January 2026 09:54:31.My mother Iris Dale...


Grant Mccaffetty, Merstham on Wednesday 21 January 2026 22:49:29.How very interesting,...


See all comments ...


Choose a theme...

Classic Turquoise Blue Gothic