Calke Abbey, now owned by the National Trust, is a Grade 1 listed Baroque mansion built between 1701 and 1704. It was never an abbey but lies on the site of an Augustiniian Abbey dissolved by Henry VIII.
The Abbey is surrounded by a ha-ha and within the grounds are extensive kitchen gardens with associated greenhouses, boiler rooms and sheds. At its peak these must have employed a dozen or so gardeners.
In order to screen the gardeners from view of the house, a 64 metre tunnel was excavated in 1816. This leads from the gardens north to the ha-ha, From here the gardeners could continue in the ditch to the servants quarters and kitchen. The tunnel itself has recently been restored by the National Trust and is itself Grade 2 listed.
The tunnel is unlit and lined in local stone with some brick at the portals. A gate is installed at the northern portal, possibly to prevent the entry of deer from the park.
