In the 1940's when drains and sewers had to be installed in the main road in Aduard labourers chanced upon a mysterious tunnel some 2 meters below ground level. It was 1.80 meters in height and vaulted. Archaeological investigation revealed that it was a medieval sewer. During the operation other sewers were found at various points in the main road. The monks appeared to have laid down a criss cross pattern of drains that led to a great number of buildings. The size of the drains has made people assume that they were used as an underground escape route. It would be nice if the tourist could be given access to the tunnels.
Figure 5:
The sewer at the northern side of the Abdijkerk
(Picture taken in 1941)
What further survived and still can be visited on the precinct are the western and eastern part of the moat that bounded the labyrinth and the uncultured area where the foundations of the cathedral and adjacent buildings lay hidden beneath surface level.
Many monuments lay scattered in the vicinity of the village, such as farms, granges, mounds ('wierden'), where fortunately there has been no land consolidation showing an infrastructure that for more than two thousand years was subject to only minor changes.
In the centre of the village the houses remind the visitor of the famous abbey-Facades built up from large medieval bricks dating from the late 16th century give it a distinctive character.
