Beneath your feet is the route of, perhaps, the most famous of the local smugglers' tunnels, the Frank Illingworth Puzzle Tunnel. Explored in the 1930's by F. Illingworth, who recorded his findings in an article published in the Kent County Journal of 1938, this is believed to be one of a labyrinth of caves linked to the Belle Vue tunnels and stretching as far as the Lord of the Manor, and, possibly to Margate. The entrance to the cave is about 6 feet up the cliff face just below Cliffsend Farm. Illingworth described the first part of the tunnel as being about five hundred feet long, climbing steeply and being only wide enough to crawl along. About 200 yards from the entrance was a shaft leading to the well of a house (now demolished) which hid a trap door and was believed to be the route for the landing of contraband. Crawling as far as he was able Illingworth was aware that he was travelling in the direction of Lord of the Manor and described seeing a domed room with the tunnel continuing beyond. However, at this point his passage was blocked by chalk falls and he was unable to go any further. In the tunnel he found several artefacts, a pin-fire pistol and three exise officer's buttons, which support the theory of it having been used by smugglers. Carvings on the chalk walls would seem to confirm this, with several sets of ornately engraved initials and one, in particular, with the letters X PO above a picture of a boat, laden with boxes, being rowed by five men.
Illingworth's exploration of the cave was inspired by a story which he had been told by an elderly 'worm catcher' of Pegwell Bay who claimed that as a boy he had gone into the tunnel complex and had been lost in there for three days.
BYOP.