A little uncertain history...
Yes it is a bit strange that you don’t hear anything about these neo-Romanesque caves for a long while and then Mockingbird puts up his fab report just as I’m having trouble uploading mine, nothing new there then...actually I think it’s all a bit sinister but I won’t dwell on it.
So the elaborate history which seems to follow these caves about simply appears to be rumours. It doesn’t look like these carved red sandstone caves are the secret ancient Knights Templar hideaway that they plotted up in whilst on their blood curdling crusades, but more realistically a Georgian folly, a subterranean grotto, but I don’t mind I like it.
Historic England dates the caves back to probably around the late 18th century or early 19th. Since the 1980’s the caverns have been used for all sorts of creative purposes such as devil worshipping, satanic rituals, black magic ceremonies and various voodoo sacrifices involving Maggie Thatcher corn dolls, I think I made that last one up. In 2012 the land owners attempted to close the caves off due to vandalism, but recently due to internet images they have become popular once more.
The visit...
I had this enjoyable little explore with my mate Dez and his young lad Jack. I got there about half an hour early and hoovered up the place of beer cans and old tealights, whacking me head a few times on the ceiling probably knocked the last bit of sense out of me. Then we got to work setting up the lights, luckily Jack was great at moving them about and replacing them into new positions, as 120 of them still didn’t seem enough...he also saved me from getting covered in hot wax, but I hear some folks pay good money for that sort of thing??? Sorry Dez I hope you don’t get any awkward questions from Jack about that last comment
So let’s have another look at the mysterious caves...
084 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Walk into the woods and follow the light, don’t stare directly into it, squint one eye slightly more than the other for this shall reveal the hidden path, breathe deeply and take in the fresh scent of the dew laiden woodland , mind the fox shit by the log, your nearly there...
093 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Tiptoe through the bluebells, do it on one leg, ssshhhh listen for the whispering voices, the soft murmurings of the lost ancient souls....ssshhhh if you listen inbetween the bird song you can hear their faint calls...”Fook off you c*%ts , get off my land and take them fookin candles wiv ya”...
_MG_3101 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Ignore the voices, it’s just a trap the woodland has set...then have a quick fight to see who goes down the hole first, I think you cheated mate, Jack never stood a chance...
Templar 044 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
So we arranged the tealights and tried to keep out of each other’s shots, which was a bit tricky at times...
Templar 050 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Templar 062 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Templar 029 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Templar 025 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Templar 019 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Templar 016 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_3049 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_3039 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
066 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Hope you enjoyed your little look around the cave
No spiders were hurt whilst taking these shots, I think a centipede had a slightly singed leg and is considering legal action...well if your reading this Mr Centipede I’m fookin nuts bring it on
Yes it is a bit strange that you don’t hear anything about these neo-Romanesque caves for a long while and then Mockingbird puts up his fab report just as I’m having trouble uploading mine, nothing new there then...actually I think it’s all a bit sinister but I won’t dwell on it.
So the elaborate history which seems to follow these caves about simply appears to be rumours. It doesn’t look like these carved red sandstone caves are the secret ancient Knights Templar hideaway that they plotted up in whilst on their blood curdling crusades, but more realistically a Georgian folly, a subterranean grotto, but I don’t mind I like it.
Historic England dates the caves back to probably around the late 18th century or early 19th. Since the 1980’s the caverns have been used for all sorts of creative purposes such as devil worshipping, satanic rituals, black magic ceremonies and various voodoo sacrifices involving Maggie Thatcher corn dolls, I think I made that last one up. In 2012 the land owners attempted to close the caves off due to vandalism, but recently due to internet images they have become popular once more.
The visit...
I had this enjoyable little explore with my mate Dez and his young lad Jack. I got there about half an hour early and hoovered up the place of beer cans and old tealights, whacking me head a few times on the ceiling probably knocked the last bit of sense out of me. Then we got to work setting up the lights, luckily Jack was great at moving them about and replacing them into new positions, as 120 of them still didn’t seem enough...he also saved me from getting covered in hot wax, but I hear some folks pay good money for that sort of thing??? Sorry Dez I hope you don’t get any awkward questions from Jack about that last comment
So let’s have another look at the mysterious caves...
084 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrWalk into the woods and follow the light, don’t stare directly into it, squint one eye slightly more than the other for this shall reveal the hidden path, breathe deeply and take in the fresh scent of the dew laiden woodland , mind the fox shit by the log, your nearly there...
093 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTiptoe through the bluebells, do it on one leg, ssshhhh listen for the whispering voices, the soft murmurings of the lost ancient souls....ssshhhh if you listen inbetween the bird song you can hear their faint calls...”Fook off you c*%ts , get off my land and take them fookin candles wiv ya”...
_MG_3101 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrIgnore the voices, it’s just a trap the woodland has set...then have a quick fight to see who goes down the hole first, I think you cheated mate, Jack never stood a chance...
Templar 044 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrSo we arranged the tealights and tried to keep out of each other’s shots, which was a bit tricky at times...
Templar 050 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTemplar 062 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTemplar 029 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTemplar 025 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTemplar 019 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTemplar 016 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_3049 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_3039 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr 066 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrHope you enjoyed your little look around the cave
No spiders were hurt whilst taking these shots, I think a centipede had a slightly singed leg and is considering legal action...well if your reading this Mr Centipede I’m fookin nuts bring it on
