The Square Cave

Brick steps lead into a large square-shaped cave which appears to have been altered many times during its history – something which is not unusual for Nottingham’s caves. The alterations make it difficult to work out why the cave was constructed. Originally the cave would have been almost square and slightly larger than it appears today. In the centre of the cave there would have been a rock pillar. This has been replaced by a brick pillar but this stands on a base of rock which would have been the bottom of the earlier pillar. The brick steps were probably inserted during cave modifications. They probably conceal an earlier entrance which would have been at the rear of the steps.
During the excavations of this cave, the Society removed a brick thrall faced with an oak beam which stretched across the north wall. This revealed well-worn steps leading through a bricked-up entrance into the adjoining cave. At some stage the archway was blocked by a door. The shadow of the doorframe is still visible. Later a series of brick wine bins were constructed in the adjacent cave which blocked the hole completely.When this cave was first entered by the Society it was almost full of twentieth century rubbish. There was a brick wall across the southern side of the cave, a small section of which was removed to reveal the rock wall behind and a small hole leading into the Apothecary’s Caves.