Rabbit hole leads to 'Knights Templar' cave network

New images have emerged of a mysterious network of caves and tunnels in Shropshire that some believe is connected to the Knights Templar order of the 17th Century.

The caves are hidden under what appear to be large rabbit holes in a farmer's field near the town of Shifnal, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The network of tunnels, known as the Caynton Caves, are carved out of sandstone. Some can only be accessed on hands and knees.

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Michael Scott, a photographer from Birmingham, took pictures of the caves after reading about them online.
He said: "I traipsed over a field to find it, but if you didn't know it was there you would just walk right past it. Considering how long it's been there it's in amazing condition, it's like an underground temple."

"I had to crouch down and once I was in it was completely silent. There were a few spiders in there but that was it. It was raining so the slope down was quite sludgy but inside the cave was bone dry."

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The Knights Templar were a medieval military religious order who fought during the crusades.

"The Catholic military order was founded in the 12th Century to guard pilgrims on their way along the dangerous roads that led to Jerusalem," says the BBC.

"Its members were effectively armed monk-like knights who were granted certain legal privileges and whose status was backed by the Church. They were reputed to be the possessors of great wealth and power."

The broadcaster adds that the rumoured connection between the caves and the medieval knights "seems unlikely."

Historic England has described the discovery as a "grotto" and said that the caves appear to have been used recently for "black magic rites".

The Shropshire Star says the caves "have also been visited by pagans and druids wanting to hold ceremonies, and are popular at solstice and Halloween".
They were sealed by the owners of the land in 2012 to deter vandals and practitioners of "black magic," the paper adds.