Most YouTubers these days will stop at nothing for the views… For this particular creator, all he had was a hunch of something incredible within Manchester’s sewers… So, he and his friends took the plunge.
YouTube Explorers
Youtuber Harry Gallagher is based in London, England. He has a Youtube channel called Night Scape that has amassed one million subscribers in the last few years.
Accidentally Uncovered Something
Usually, he ventures onto insane rooftops or into abandoned buildings. One of his most popular videos took a bizarre turn when he and his friends accidentally uncovered something crazy!
Rumors Of the City
In the video, Gallagher talks about someone telling him about an underground city in Manchester. Hopefully, it’s not just a prank… They go ahead and plunge into a gross sewer…
Straight Out of a Horror Movie
Gallagher and a few friends as they gather around the manhole. They all talk about how they’re a bit nervous about getting lost, caught, or worse…
Opening It Up
The group gathers around the hole and peer down inside as one of them opens it up… It’s pitch black down there, as expected. Is there really a city?
No Time Like the Present
One brave soul decided that it was time to stop dillydallying and head down there… So, he took the first plunge into the literal darkness.
No Guarantee
Remember, they’re diving into this manhole on a hunch. There wasn’t really much evidence that they knew exactly what they were doing, but that’s part of the explorer gig!
Nerve-Wracking
They waited for their friend to scope the area a bit… They wanted to make sure this was the place before they all headed down there! Everyone was quiet above ground as they watched the flashlight bounce off of the walls below.
Is It Just A Sewer?
They were waiting in anticipation. Finally, after moments of silence, he excitedly called out, “This is it!”
Something Underground
From what their friend said, it was evident that something was down there. Maybe not an entire city, but who’s to say? They needed to investigate! So, one by one, they all descended underground.
What They Saw…
Gallagher put the manhole cover back on and continued to climb down the ladder. He was met with a staircase that took them deeper into the tunnel… So far, a pretty promising sight.
It Opens Up
It doesn’t take long for them to find exactly what they were looking for. They’re met with structures, windows, even directional signs painted on the walls!
It Reeks of Death
They’re immediately met with a horrific smell of death. Obviously, an underground city isn’t going to smell like fresh air, but the stench is bad enough for them to cover half of their faces…
Haunting
It looks like an abandoned city of mole people… Plus, they can’t say for sure that they’re alone. Naturally, it’s extremely dark, and there are a lot of places for people to hide and watch them…
It Just Keeps Going
They began to wander through the brick hallways… They quickly realized that they could get lost there. They had to be smart about this…
Then… A Scream
They weren’t even underground for ten minutes before they heard a deafening bang and what sounded like a girl scream. They were immediately shaken up and listened for a few more minutes, but shook it off and continued exploring…
Finding Random Objects
As they continued to explore, they ended up finding a safe. Why would there be a safe hidden under a city? The things that they were finding started to become a bit strange…
Bathrooms
They even found a row of toilets and urinals! Why would someone need toilets underground? What was this place?
Hearing It Out
At one point, they kept hearing noises. So, they decided to just hang tight, be quiet, and listen to the sounds around them.
Didn’t Take Long…
There are sounds that are somewhat obvious… The sounds of water dripping and cars driving on the road above them. And then… They hear something that’s totally unexplainable.
Another Loud Scream
As they were standing in the circle, they heard a distant scream. They all looked at each other in disbelief… “Did you just hear that?”
One More Time…
They weren’t sure what to make of it. Other people could be down there just trying to scare them, but that doesn’t seem extremely plausible… It’s not like this place is common knowledge.
Waiting…
The guys didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Instead, they decided to wait it out and listen again… It must’ve been a one-time thing, right? It couldn’t be a real person…
Another Scream
After a while, they heard another scream. The guys immediately grabbed their things and ran out of the room. They decided that enough was enough… It was time to leave.
It’s a Maze!
They were scrambling to get out. They finally found their way back to the manhole and climbed back up to the surface…
Going Above Ground
They all managed to climb out without getting lost… That’s when they realized what they were really underneath.
Under a Church
When they regrouped up on the street, they realized that they had been exploring underneath an old church… It’s hard to think rationally when they were in such a bizarre place!
What Were Those Noises?
Still, they were stumped. The noises that they heard will forever be unknown… Soon after, they learned what the city was really for.
Victoria Arches
The story has it that these are called Victoria Arches, also known as Cathedral Steps. The underground city was completed in 1838.
A Deep-Rooted History
At first, it was simply used for storage. Iron and copper workers held their mass amounts of materials underground and were able to quickly access it from their shops. Wines and spirits were also stored in those cool conditions. The purpose of this underground city quickly changed…
War Reasons
During the last War, people were actually shuffled down into the city to shelter in place. In the city, it’s hard to find the space for shelter, so the city was able to use the already existing structures to keep its citizens safe during air raids.
Huge Capacity
The Victoria Arches were able to hold over 1500 people at one time! This place is way bigger than anyone can imagine…
The 1960s
After the war subsided, the toilets were actually still in use well into the 60s! The public could wander down there and use the public toilet… Creepy, but okay!
Cutting It Off
Eventually, the government decided to start sealing off the more obvious entrances to the underground city. Obviously, there are still ways to get inside.
Is It Haunted?
So, is it? No, probably not. Are there creepy animals down there? Maybe. Rats? Definitely. Mole people? Honestly… Probably.