Photography by Mark Carnaby

Map of West Wycombe and the Hell Fire Caves
The mock gothic church facade entrance to the caves
Crest above the entrance to the caves
Entering the Hell Fire Caves
Information sign about the Hell Fire Caves
Plan of the Hell Fire Caves
The Steward sits at the entrance and would pay the cave workers there wages
Members of the Hell Fire Club 1762
Going down into the depths of the cave
Ghosts in the caves - Paul Whitehead & The White Lady
Moving through the 'Whitehead' tunnel of the caves
Paul Whiteheads cave
The story of the poet Paul Whitehead and the Hell Fire caves
The heart of Paul Whitehead which was his wish to be put into a urn upon his death
The XXII tunnel part of the Hell Fire Caves
Entering Franklins cave
Sir Francis Dashwood & Benjamin Franklin in Franklins cave
Sir Francis Dashwood
Benjamin Franklin
Going deeper into the tunnel and on the way to the Banqueting Hall
One of the creepy carvings I spotted on the walls of the tunnels
The vast expanse of the Banqueting Hall where many a party was held
Information about the Hell Fire Caves Banqueting Hall
Cages in the Banqueting Hall where men & women had their private liaisons
Statue in one of the Banqueting Hall alcoves
Man & beast statue in one of the Banqueting Hall alcoves

Home of the Hellfire Club

The Hellfire Caves, West Wycombe | Part One

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I can’t pinpoint the exact time I first heard about the Hellfire Club & the Caves but it was mentioned in a YouTube documentary on black magic I watched a few years ago and ever since I’ve had a visit to this place lined up in my bucket list. I think the allure to this place is just that – the eerie black magic myths that went on in these hand dugout caves situated in the quaint little town of West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Southeast England, and the tale of the Dashwood family particularly Francis Dashwood the eccentric 11th Baron le Despencer who founded the Dilettanti Society and was the co-founder of the Hellfire Club, whose meetings and strange goings-on were held in these very caves!

I managed to visit the caves in late summer of 2019 and got these photo’s – there’s a lot to tell about the whole site of the Hellfire Caves, the Mausoleum, St Lawrence’s Church (of which the caves lie 300 feet directly under!) & National Trust’s property West Wycombe Park, too much to include here so I refer you over to the official Hellfire website here and a ‘Most Haunted’ documentary here.

As ever enjoy the photos!