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Beer Quarry Caves, nr. Seaton, Devon, UK. with John Scott

2,633 views · Published 30 September 2014 · 19:09 · Indexed 14 November 2026

Channel: Public Enquiry · 2014 · News & Politics

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Beer Quarry Caves, Quarry Lane, Beer - East Devon
http://www.beerquarrycaves.co.uk/index.html

The caves are open every day until Friday 31st October 2014.
2014 Times and prices
Open daily at 10.00 am. From 7th April Until the end of September tours are every hour on the half hour e.g. 10.30, 11.30 - Last tour 4.30 pm
October Tours are 10.30, 12.30 & 2.30.
Admission - Adult £7.00.
Child 5 to 16 years and Senior Citizen £5.20. Family 2 adults + 2 Children £22.00.
Under 5's FREE.

Useful Facts
Onsite Car Parking is Free
The caves are cool even on a warm day and a warm top with sensible footwear is advisable
There is no crawling required, height varies from 13 to 20 feet (4 to 6 metres). 
Regrettably the path to the cave entrance is impractical for wheelchairs
Unfortunately dogs are NOT permitted underground.
Light refreshments and souvenirs available.
Location - Between Beer and Branscombe

Many of us marvel at the intricacy of stonemasons' work on numerous stately buildings, cathedrals and churches. But do we ever stop to consider where the stone came from and the history of the excavation behind it?

News - Macbeth at the Caves
Macbeth For the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth the Four of Swords Theatre performed Macbeth at the caves in May 2014. Tickets quickly sold out and there may be further performances later. See http://four-of-swords.com/ for more information. Click for Further info or Photo's by Matt Austin

Conducted Underground Tours
Our guides will take you on an hour long tour through the awe-inspiring caves with their mighty halls of vaulted roofs and pillars of Beer Stone which have been likened to a vast underground cathedral.

This vast man-made complex of underground caverns was created by centuries of quarrying the famous Beer Stone. The underground quarry, first worked by the Romans, supplied stone for 24 cathedrals including Exeter and St.Paul's, parts of Westminster Abbey,the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. Quarried by hand, a small block weighing 4 tons, the stone was carted on horse-drawn wagons and by barges from Beer beach to its destination, sometimes involving journeys of several hundreds of miles. The quarry closed around 1920 as a new quarry opposite was opened. This closed in 2003, so there is no quarrying activity now.

Your Journey through Time
The entrance leads directly into the Roman section, which now houses a small museum containing pieces of Beer stone carved centuries ago by skilled masons, the tools used by the Quarrymen, copies of ancient documents and photographs. A late medieval Beer stone window forms the centrepiece of the museum. From this very chamber the Romans quarried the first blocks of Beer Stone to build their villas, leaving typical Roman arches and even their tool-marks are still visible on the walls. On through the Saxon part of the workings to where the Normans quarried stone for cathedrals, castles and Manor houses. You will then get to the modern era, where saws replaced pickaxe's as the main cutting out tool.

The sheer grandeur of the mighty halls, vaulted roofs and massive supporting pillars of natural stone are awe- inspiring and have often been likened to a vast underground cathedral. As you pass through you will be shown the charcoal signatures of the quarrymen who toiled here years ago and places where bats - mostly greater or lesser horseshoe hibernate during the winter months.

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