The Edinburgh suburb of Gilmerton was at one time a thriving mining community, but there are a series of caves and passages beneath the village that were dug for some mysterious purpose that certainly did not involve farming ore.

Known collectively as Gilmerton Cove, the network of seven chambers and numerous passages that run beneath the suburb has baffled historians since its discovery. The entrance to the underground site is known to have been underneath a local blacksmith’s residence at one time which has led to a number of theories. Among the popular speculations about the caves is that they were a place for the gentry to drink discreetly, that they were a hiding place for religious refugees, or that the space was a smuggler’s lair. The hand-carved caves were opened as of 2003 as a tourist attraction so any aspiring historic detectives are welcome to explore the caves and decide for themselves. 

Update as of May 2022: The site is closed indefinitely.