Cavalier Attitude, Blackburn

Hidden beneath Blackburn, the River Blakewater passes through a long and varied culvert known to explorers as Cavalier Attitude. The river was gradually enclosed as Blackburn expanded during the Industrial Revolution, with later sections rebuilt and altered as the town developed above it. Much of the culvert was substantially modified during the 1960s, with further reinforcement and reconstruction taking place in 2014 as part of the Cathedral Quarter development.

What makes Cavalier Attitude particularly interesting is the mixture of construction found along its length. Older sections retain stonework and distinctive iron columns supporting the roof, while elsewhere the original structure gives way to more modern concrete. There are also side passages, overflow structures and sections where the Blakewater briefly emerges into the open before disappearing underground again.

The unusual name dates back to its discovery by urban explorers in 2009. It was inspired partly by an earlier encounter with Edinburgh's "Laughing Cavalier", and partly by the nearby Cavalier Carpets building, whose water tower could be seen from within the culvert. The name subsequently stuck.