Rabbit hole in England farmer's field leads to 700-year-old caves

March 9 (UPI) -- A series of rabbit holes in an England farmer's field led to a mysterious underground cave, believed to be centuries old.

Historic England described the Caynton Caves in Shropshire as a "grotto" that likely dated back to the late 18th or early 19th century and included "neo-Norman decoration to bays between columns, one neo-Norman doorway with beak-heads and roll moulding; decorative quatrefoils and designs abound."

Photographer Michael Scott described the cramped condition in the mysterious cave buried about 3 feet underground.

"I traipsed over a field to find it, but if you didn't know it was there you would just walk right past it. Considering how long it's been there it's in amazing condition, it's like an underground temple," he said. "I had to crouch down and once I was in it was completely silent. There were a few spiders in there but that was it. It was raining so the slope down was quite sludgy but inside the cave was bone dry."

Local legends suggest the caves were used by the Knights of Templar in the 17th century, while historians argue they were built hundreds of years after the group disbanded.

Modern visitors reportedly visited the caves to perform "black magic" rituals by pagans and druids around Halloween.

The caves were sealed off in 2012 to prevent people from entering them to take part in such activities.