[kyn]

If you ever find yourself down this way these are a real treat

[Lyn L]

Another place I never went to while living in Ramsgate and Broadstairs from age 1 to 14 yrs ? How strange . Great pics of the shell grotto and the Ramsgate tunnels. 

[kyn]

In WWII one wall in the Altar Room was blown out.  Beside this is an old door way.

[kyn]

The tunnel leading down really takes your breath away.  But when you reach the Altar Room you realise how much time must have been put into decorating the tunnels!

[kyn]

Cliveh and I visited the Shell Grotto in Margate at the weekend.  It is an awesome sight!

[silkenrobe]

Thanks for that Chatham Girl85, I just watched it.
I visited this last summer and I urge anyone who hasn't been there to go and have a look. It's not very big but upon entering the tunnel my jaw just dropped! It is amazing, even now. Marie Corelli, a popular pre First War author called it 'the Eighth Wonder of the World' and I can see why.

I visited here some years ago and was also had a jaw dropping moment
You can't imagine it really, can you?

http://shellgrotto.co.uk/

[Mike S]

Back in the early 1950's I was friendly with the daughter of the then owners of the Grotto (the Mitchell's) and can remember quite clearly playing in the Grotto garden and there was a place where you could peer down and look at the people who were down in the cave.

[conan]

I read somewhere that the brown staining in the grotto was caused by fumes from Victorian gas lighting.It must have been a lot more impressive before with all the natural bright colours of the shells showing.

[LenP]

Thanks for that Chatham Girl85, I just watched it.
I visited this last summer and I urge anyone who hasn't been there to go and have a look. It's not very big but upon entering the tunnel my jaw just dropped! It is amazing, even now. Marie Corelli, a popular pre First War author called it 'the Eighth Wonder of the World' and I can see why.

[Chatham_Girl85]

Anyone see Meridian Tonight?

It mentioned that Shell Grotto had recieved a grant, I think it was £15,000, from English National Heritage

[Biggles]

It basically says the caves were dug for chalk for agriculture of lime burning - probably late 17th to early 18th cent and then made into a show cave.

[Biggles]

A lot of what has been written about the grotto is based on the idea that there is 'hidden meaning' in the patterns of shells. Much of this stuff is pretty tenuous.
There is a modern write up on the grotto and nearby Margate Caves [closed in 2004 due to 'elf and safety] at www.kentarchaeology.ac/acontents.html 

[Guest]

The Grotto is located in Grotto Hill, off Dane Road. it's only a brief walk from the Harbour.

In the part of the grotto they call the Altar Chamber is a more modern wall, behind it is another entrance and wall which was destroyed by a bomb in WWII.

[Leofwine]

It's amazing that something like that could be built and then 'lost'.  Has anyone ever looked into how old it may be (studying plaster/glue types used to hold the shells in place, artistic styles, etc)?

I didn't even know that it existed before I saw this post!

[Guest]

The Shell Grotto was discovered in 1835 by Mr James Newlove. He had been digging a pond when a hole appeared in the ground. Mr Newlove lowered his son Joshua down into it, and when he emerged again he told his father there were tunnels covered with shells. Two years later in 1837 he opened them to the public. The Grotto is 70 feet of winding passages leading to an oblong chamber. There is believed to be 4.6 million shells used in the different mosaics on the walls. Nothing is known about the Grotto prior to Mr Newlove finding it. One theory is the Mosaic symbolism represents a journey from birth, through life to death, and ending up in the celestial afterlife.