For the first time ever the Shell Grotto will be hosting an event on the night of Halloween. And the mysterious temple is the perfect venue for spooky goings on!
Down in the eerie depths of the Grotto, the Theatre of the Small will present Devil Tales; a puppet show based on early European folk tales, portraying how the Devil tricks mankind and mankind tricks the Devil. Meanwhile, Sandwich storyteller and honorary King of Fools Tony Cooper will spin sinister tales and gruesome stories by candlelight…enter if you dare!
They've decided to go with "mysterious temple", then, rather than "18th century folly?Nemesis said:The grade I Shell Grotto in Margate now has a Friends organisation, and there will be a fundraising event 31st October
http://www.shellgrottofriends.org/events.html
For the first time ever the Shell Grotto will be hosting an event on the night of Halloween. And the mysterious temple is the perfect venue for spooky goings on!
Down in the eerie depths of the Grotto, the Theatre of the Small will present Devil Tales; a puppet show based on early European folk tales, portraying how the Devil tricks mankind and mankind tricks the Devil. Meanwhile, Sandwich storyteller and honorary King of Fools Tony Cooper will spin sinister tales and gruesome stories by candlelight…enter if you dare!
Sonds fun! free to Friends, four quid otherwise, book early!
http://www.shellgrotto.co.uk/
Building Name: The Grotto
Parish: Margate
District: Thanet
County: Kent
Postcode:
LBS Number: 356546
Grade: I
Date Listed: 22 February 1973
Date of Last Amendment: 22 February 1973
Date Delisted:
National Grid Reference: TR3593270870
Listing Text:
GROTTO HILL
1
1380
The Grotto
TR 3570 NE 6/169
I
2.
Many theories have been advanced for the origin of the Margate Grotto, including
Phoenician origin or a Roman Mithraic Temple. The Grotto was discovered in 1835
by a schoolmaster and his sons digging their back garden. It is however most
likely to be early C19 as there are traces of a modern brick in one of the Gothic
shaped arches. The pattern of the Grotto is 2 semicircular passages leading to
a central dome and then a passage leading off to a rectangular chamber. The Grotto
has about 2000 square yards of shell mosaic consisting of 28 different types of
shells, many of which are foreign. The cement which adheres the shells to the
chalk walls is very similar to Roman cement and is said to contain fish oil and
crushed shells. The motifs include common Egyptian, Greek and Indian motifs.
In the rectangular chamber are motifs of the rising sun, the moon and stars.
The modern buildings at ground level are not listable.
Listing NGR: TR3593270870
The Grotto’s discovery in 1835 came as a complete surprise to the people of Margate; it had never been marked on any map and there had been no tales of its construction told around the town. But James Newlove could clearly see the commercial potential of his find and he immediately set about preparations to open the Grotto up to the public.
The first paying customers descended the chalk stairway in 1837 and debate has raged about the Grotto’s origins ever since: for every expert who believes it to be an ancient temple, there’s someone else convinced it was the meeting place for a secret sect; for every ardent pagan, there’s a Regency folly-monger ready to spoil their fun. At first glance the Grotto’s design only adds to the confusion, with humble cockles, whelks, mussels and oysters creating a swirling profusion of patterns and symbols. There are trees of life, phalluses, gods, goddesses and something that looks very like an altar.
The most recent findings point to the Grotto functioning as a sun temple, the sun entering the Dome (which extends up to ground level, with a small circular opening) just before the Spring Equinox, forming a dramatic alignment at midday on the Summer Solstice and departing just after the Autumn Equinox, thus indicating the fertile season. The research continues!
However, there’s only one fact about the Grotto that is indisputable: that it is a unique work of art that should be valued and preserved, whatever its age or origins.