Lost Wine Cellar Unearthed at Davyhulme Park Golf Club

A sinkhole at Davyhulme Park Golf Club in Trafford, Greater Manchester, has revealed a brick-lined wine cellar believed to have been sealed for over a century. The discovery, made on the course’s 13th hole – aptly known as “The Cellars” – offers a glimpse into the history of the site, once part of the Davyhulme Hall manor house.

Discovery on the 13th Hole

Steve Hopkins, the deputy head greenkeeper at Davyhulme Park Golf Club, stumbled upon the sinkhole during a routine morning inspection on February 27, 2026. Initially suspecting a collapsed drain, Hopkins began excavating the area with a little digger. Instead of finding damaged pipes, the dig revealed a brick structure and an entrance to the cellar [BBC].

A Relic of Davyhulme Hall

The cellar is thought to have been part of Davyhulme Hall, a manor house that stood on the site until its demolition in 1888 [BBC], [Today’s Golfer]. Inside, Hopkins found dozens of empty glass wine and port bottles of various shapes and sizes, appearing to be hand-blown and extremely old [BBC], [Today’s Golfer].

“The First Person in Over 100 Years”

“I was basically the first person to head in there for over a hundred years,” Hopkins told the BBC [BBC]. He described the cellar as having an arch-ceilinged brick structure [The Guardian]. Another entrance was discovered, but it was blocked by rubble.

A Piece of Golf Club History

Davyhulme Park Golf Club, which considers itself the fourth-oldest golf club in England, began as a nine-hole course and expanded to 18 holes by 1931 [Today’s Golfer]. The area where the sinkhole appeared was historically known as a “tradesmen’s entrance” [BBC].

Future of the Cellar

Club members are currently discussing how to best preserve and potentially showcase the cellar as a feature of the course [BBC], [Today’s Golfer]. As of now, it does not appear to be impacting play on the 13th hole.