VOLUNTEERS working on All Saints Church in Thelwall stumbled across an underground vault as part of their restoration of the building.

As part of the Heritage Lottery Fund backed development project, investigations started to find the cause of a crack going the full length of the east end gable wall.

READ: How I fought back after feeling life was not worth living

Anecdotally the crack had been attributed to a vault under the chancel which pre-dated the building.

Looking through the archives in Chester, experts found the church had been built over a vault belonging to then Lord of the Manor James Nicholson.

Volunteers suspected the entrance was near the east end of the church and found a six feet by four feet slab weighing half a tonne which was removed to find a staircase.

Mike Horne, from the church conservation team, said: “What we found astonished all of us.

“A very well constructed arched brick built tunnel led four metres under the Chancel to a reach the vault itself which again was arched and brick lined.

“The vault was occupied by the bodies of James Nicholson, his wife Elizabeth, and by the bodies of James’ parents Peter and Lucy. It is most likely that the vault had been sealed on James’ death in 1889 and not opened since.”

The vault was six inches deep in water but after that was pumped out, a structural engineer confirmed there was no movement and the structure was safe.

Mike added: “The vault itself was measured and photographed, then by 5pm with all work completed we withdrew from the vault, replacing the stone slab.

“The next day the path was replaced, and it is now very hard to picture the scene and to believe that a large void exists below our church.

“Next time you are in the church, take a look at the area under the blue Minton tiles in front of the altar and between the choir pews, and try to imagine what is happening only a few feet below you.”

Or call into the church during a special heritage weekend, packed with events on October 13 and 14.

Photos will be on display and volunteers will put the vault into hits historical context.