Steve Higgins Shares Some Underground Secrets On The 'Haunted History Chronicles' Podcast
This article is more than one year old and was last updated in February 2024.
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Steve Higgins, creator of Higgypop.com and author of the new book 'Hidden, Forbidden & Off-Limits', featured as a guest on the latest episode of the 'Haunted History Chronicles' podcast to discuss his latest work.
Host Michelle Fisher interviewed Steve about the dark and forgotten places across Britain that he explores in the book and the historical and ghostly events that surround them.
The book delves into the secret and off-limit locations that Higgins has explored over the years, many of which played crucial roles in the country's past but are now largely forgotten. Speaking about the book, Michelle said, "I can't wait for it. I think it's a bit of an untapped, unexplored area really." Steve agreed, telling here, "there does seem to be sort of a gap for this book. There's a few history books about underground places, but there's not really any books on urban exploration, nothing of any value." He added, "the few I've read, they're more the conspiracy theory angles. So they're over-exaggerated and false claims and there's no real value to them at all."
Steve told Michelle about the history of the subterranean landscapes he's explored. He explained, "a lot of them started off as stone mines. Then they were filled up with ammunition during the First World War." The tunnels were reinforced and retrofitted for use during World War II and the Cold War. Additionally, some of these locations continue to have modern, top-secret uses.
One of the most fascinating places that Steve has explored is Burlington, a Cold War era bunker beneath Corsham in Wiltshire, which is known as the UK's version of Area 51. The bunker was built to hold 4,000 government officials and civil servants in the event of a nuclear attack, and was the location where the central government would relocate to run the country.
For Steve, the fascination of urban exploration is rooted in the secrecy and exclusivity of these locations. Exploring places that very few people have been to, and the physical and endurance challenges that come with it, make it an exciting and rewarding experience. Speaking on the podcast, he said, "some of the places I've been to, I probably would've been one of just a handful of people to have been there in 50 years at the time I visited. So it's that, you know, pure explorer mentality of going somewhere that very few people have been."
In his book, Steve delves into underground factories, nuclear hideouts, and former subterranean ammo stores. He told Michelle that he believes these places, although often shrouded in secrecy, hold a lot of historical significance and shouldn't be forgotten. He said, "I feel that they shouldn't be just buried and forgotten and that is the wish of the Ministry of Defence and some of the landowners." He added, "the ammunition stores in particular, we wouldn't have won the war without them, but not a single part of it is open to the public."
He also told listeners to the podcast that these structures, like the Cold War and Second World War bunkers, were built with a level of drive and ambition that he believes the country lacks now. He also believes that the strategy now is to build normal-looking buildings on places like business parks that have redundancy, as it is more cost-effective than building underground.
Michelle asked the urban explorer, "in terms of some of the locations that you've had the chance to explore and have written about, did you have any particular favourites that you really have just thoroughly enjoyed researching and exploring or writing about?" Steve let her in on the secret of CCC, a subterranean bunker known as the Corsham Computer Centre. Despite its importance, very little is known about the facility and its true purpose remains a mystery. He said, "we think it's probably part of the British nuclear deterrent."
The book also touches on the possibility of paranormal activity in these underground locations, with Steve noting that the idea of them being haunted is problematic. He explained, "we normally talk about somewhere being haunted because of its history or because of the land it's built on," but as these places were built in holes in the ground and before that hole in the ground was made, there was no history there. Steve added, "a lot of these places I feel, are actually very sterile." Steve does, however, discuss the potential for attachments to these places due to deaths that have occurred within them during their operational years.
The 'Haunted History Chronicles' podcast is known for its in-depth look at the historical events that have shaped the paranormal world. With talk of secret history, Cold War paranoia and the potential for underground locations to give visitors chills, this episode featuring Steve is sure to be a hit with listeners of the show and those interested in the unexplained, conspiracy theories and urban exploration. You can listen to the episode featuring Steve, as well as the full back catalogue here.
Whether you're a history buff, a fan of the paranormal, or simply someone who is fascinated by the secrets hidden beneath our feet, 'Hidden, Forbidden & Off-Limits' is for you. With its in-depth research and unusual anecdotes, the book provides a unique and intriguing look at some formerly top secret subterranean spaces.
'Hidden, Forbidden & Off-Limits' is available now from Amazon on paperback, hard cover and for Kindle.
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