‘Thought it was a collapsed drain’: golf course sinkhole exposes lost wine cellar

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Mark Brown North of England correspondentMarch 4, 2026 at 12:25 PM

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A groundsman at Davyhulme Park golf club in Trafford, Greater Manchester, discovered a long-lost wine cellar after a sinkhole opened up on the 13th tee. Steve Hopkins, the deputy head green keeper, initially believed it was a collapsed drain, but excavation revealed a brick vault containing dozens of empty wine and port bottles. The cellar is believed to have been part of Davyhulme Hall, a 12th-century manor house demolished in the 19th century, predating the golf club's establishment. Davyhulme Hall was once owned by Robert Henry Norreys, who built a nine-hole golf course on the estate. The discovery offers a glimpse into the history of the land before the golf club's existence.

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Key Player Opposition Context

Henry II 30% St Andrews 40% John de Hulme 40% Trafford 50% Greater Manchester 50% Manchester 60% Robert Henry Norreys ×260% Steve Hopkins ×270% Davyhulme Hall ×270% Davyhulme Park Golf Club ×380%

Keywords

wine cellar 90% sinkhole 90% golf course 80% abandoned cellar 70% historic bottles 60% country house 60% davyhulme hall 50% archaeology 40%

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Davyhulme Hall

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