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Dens Works Tunnels

Dens Street, Dundee, Dundee City.

Tunnels (19th Century), infilled.

Formerly used for the direct transfer of materials between jute mills and warehouses. A HES listing for a warehouse on E side of the Dens St (given coords of [NO 40829 30795]) states that "wall to rear conceals access to tunnel under Dens Street to Lower Dens Works."

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A former employee (E. Cameron) states: "Where the high mill flats are [1] a tunnel was discovered connecting the high mill to the lower dens works now Hotel Indigo and Staybridge Apartments.

When l worked on the Lower Dens Works that is now 'Hotel Indigo and Staybridge Apartments' we discovered a 3.0m wide tunnel under Princess Street [2] with stairs connecting to the High Mill. The street [3] that ran parallel to the Staybridge Apartments also had a tunnel that connected to a warehouse that still exists. Due to the safety issues both were filled in with concrete."

NB: [1] the 'high mill flats' in this context probably refer to the 'uphill' Dens Works which have been converted to flats along the N side of the Princes-Dens St junction; [2] sic, Princes St; [3] probably Dens Street.

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: From Dundee City archives: Dundee Police Commissioners' Meetings, 1870‐1871:

(27/03/1871): Proposed Tunnel Across Dens Street: Clerk read a letter from W.R. Morrison & Co requesting permission to build an underground tunnel in order to connect their South Mill with their Blackscroft Warehouse. They stated they would pay for the work themselves, would build only to the satisfaction of the surveyor, and would return any part of the street affected by the work to its present condition. The committee ordered the surveyor to examine the proposed plans and make a report to the next meeting.

(10/04/1871): Proposed Tunnel Across Dens Street: The surveyor reported that in order for the tunnel to be built, the main sewer in Dens Street would have to be lowered. However, he stated that if Messrs W.R. Morrison & Co were willing to pay for the lowering of the sewer, then he saw no reason why permission should not be granted for the building of the tunnel. The committee therefore granted permission on these terms.

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According to 'History of Dundee' (see refs), the Dens Works were operated by Baxter Brothers & Co., whilst R. W. Morrison & Co. operated the 'Wallace Factory' (cf. Wallace Craigie Works). As the southern of the Wallace mills is E of Dens St, this raises the question of why Morrison would wish to build a tunnel to the Baxter site. (cf. Wallace St).

Location of northern and southern mills for both the Dens & Wallace (Craigie) Works are labelled on OS map 1953 Ed.

Given 6 fig. NGR coordinates are approx.