Margate Caves
Nearest town: Margate
Map reference: TR 357713
Location of Margate Caves by UK
Streetmap
 History
has it that Vortigern gave Kent to the Saxon Hengist, in return for
marrying his daughter. Hengist landed at the isle of Thanet, which is
now dominated by the town of Ramsgate. But were the caves of Ramsgate
really connected to Vortigern?
The
Caves
 The
Margate Caves are a most extraordinary curiosity. There are 20-30 show
caves in Britain, but one would hardly expect to find one in this
sleepy corner of Kent, where nothing much seems changed since the
1950s. However, this town, where most visitors to and from the
continent normally rush through, has not one, but two! There is the
Margate Cave or Grotto, and its neighbour, Shell Caves. As it remains
unclear which of the two is supposedly connected with Vortigern, I
will describe them both, as they are close together in the chalk hill
of Cliftonville. situated at the lower end of the Northdown Road, near
the Margate War Memorial. They penetrate for a considerable distance
under the sites of the one time vicarage of Holy Trinity Church, and
the Church itself (now Trinity Square car park) - both having been
destroyed by bombs during World War Two.
History
The
origins of these caves, which are not natural but built by man, is
shrouded in mystery. The caves
take their name from Vortigern, who supposedly gave the area around
Margate to the Saxons as a reward for helping him fight the Picts and
Scots.
Rediscovered by accident in 1798,
these caves are reputed to be of Saxon origin, consisting of a series
of natural passages, which have been artificially enlarged.
However,
few experts think these 'artificial
cavities' (as they are called)
go back
that far. The first time they appear in history is fairly recent.
The guide book would have the visitor believe that the caves are over
a 1000 years old and possible even of Phoenician origin. The more
likely explanation would perhaps be a more modest medieval origin, or
even a Georgian folly.
Somewhere near the close of the 18th Century, a man of eccentric
habits, named Francis Forster, built a large house in Margate which he
named after the county of his birth - Northumberland House. In or
about the year 1798 his gardener, digging behind the house, made the
discovery of the Caves. A private entrance was cut. It was during this
time that the cave murals were created. In 1914, a new entrance was
made from the cellar of the vicarage and this is the entrance used
today.
Description
Margate Cave or Grotto is a small cave,
a single tunnel only, consisting of the steep entrance, leading up to
a circular chamber called the 'Rotunda', a kind of roundabout. Beyond
that is the 'Serpentine Passage' to a rectangular room called the
'Altar Chamber', which terminates the cave at the far end.
Shell Cave, being much larger, is a
series of large rooms, artificially hewn out of the soft chalk, for
reasons unknown. It quite looks like an old chalk quarry, but that
does not mean that the caves were created for that purpose. Most of
the explanations are interesting but not very plausible. Such
explanations include use as a Dungeon, a Smuggler's Hideout and a
Georgian Folly.
The cavern dubbed as 'Dungeon' is a
curious double chambered excavation below the floor of the main cave.
It certainly was not a mining operation but the original purpose is
not known. Also, for primary use as a dungeon it is not convincing.
The cave is not very useful for smugglers either, as there is no
connection to the sea, and the only way to get into the caves
originally was down a shaft, which would not facilitate the stealthy
use needed for smuggling operations.
A folly, then? In the 18th century, a
man of eccentric habits, named Francis Forster, built a large house in
Margate. He named it 'Northumberland House' after the county of his
birth. In or about the year 1798 his gardener, digging behind the
house, rediscovered the caves. Soon after a personal entrance to the
caves was cut. Were these caves actually present at the time, or were
they dug by Forster himself? Against this last explanation surely
speak that such an operation would hardly have gone unnoticed in the
town at the time.
In 1914, a new entrance was made from
the cellar of the vicarage, which is the entrance used today. The
vicarage
(being
integrated as part of Northumberland House)
was part of Northumberland House and was
destroyed during World War II. The original entrance was a simple
shaft from the cellars, and a steep flight of stairs takes the visitor
down to the main cave today.
The conclusion, then, is that the
evidence must be inconclusive. A use before 1798 must be accepted, but
then any use must have been so far back in time, that it does not show
up in any record. That should take us back, at least, into the Middle
Ages, but I would even make a (very) bold suggestion here, and propose
an origin of some of the caves (a mining purpose, in that case) dating
back to Roman times, though I realise that any evidence for this would
be next to impossible to retrieve.
Paintings
 Very
interesting features are definitely several cave paintings in the
Margate Cave, created after the rediscovery. One is called the Thanet
Giant. According to folklore, they were painted by a local artist
named Brazier, but whoever he was: in order to obtain a surface on
which to paint, the painter smoothened the great chalk wall. To many
modern archaeologists this act is nothing less than vandalism, or at
least a wilful act of destruction of cultural heritage. However, this
modern viewpoint was not a concern for anyone at the time: he
therefore innocently destroyed many interesting and valuable tool
marks by this action.
Some of the artworks created by
him, or at another time are unusual paintings, such as that of two
somewhat faded soldiers in the uniform of the era of George III. They
appear to be guarding, one on each side, the entrance to a narrow and
gloomy passage.
Vortigern's secret passage, perhaps?
Useful Information
The cave is owned by the family
business who still run the Chislehurst caves, but it seems a rather
low key operation. Although this is the show cave Mecca of England,
the entrance of Margate Cave is through a shop dedicated to the sale
of rocks and fossils.
- Location:
- Margate, Kent. Lower end of the
Northdown Road, near the Margate War Memorial.
- Open:
- Easter-October daily 10-16,
Jul-Aug, Bank Holidays daily 10-17
- Fee:
- Adults £1.80, Children (-12) 90p,
Family (2ad+2ch) £3.75
Some links to the Margate Caves:
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