yesterday we went to Royston (about half and hour drive from here) to look at a fourteenth century Knights Templar chapel. It apparently dates from the suppression of the order, so is underground, dug into the chalk. The entrance was originally under a safe house at the cross roads, as was a smoke hole (the smoke from the chapel when in use would have gone into the house, but apparently nobody minded in those days!) It was rediscovered in the 18th century when the butter market was being built, the access was a steep and narrow shaft...a small boy was lowered with a rope to investigate. The bloke who lived over the way had some workmen dig a tunnel from his place into the cave so he could charge admission. This is how you get in today.
The 18th century tunnel
Original entrance shaft
Part of the roof of the cave was dug out when they built the old butter market so it had to repaired (so there wouldnt be a huge hole in the market!)
The lower part of the wall is covered with simplistic carvings of biblical and religious figures and Templar figures. Interestingly, in spite of claims this represents a geomantic structure eg it is under the crossroads, there is no evidence of carvings any older than the suppression of the templars and the cave is not now under the crossroads, and wasnt when it was built - it was under a house. The crossroads is quite interesting too - it is the junction of Ermine street and Icknield Way, both roman roads. There was a cross at the junction erected possibly by the wife of William The Conquerors steward and the base of this is on a plinth next to the road.
yesterday we went to Royston (about half and hour drive from here) to look at a fourteenth century Knights Templar chapel. It apparently dates from the suppression of the order, so is underground, dug into the chalk. The entrance was originally under a safe house at the cross roads, as was a smoke hole (the smoke from the chapel when in use would have gone into the house, but apparently nobody minded in those days!) It was rediscovered in the 18th century when the butter market was being built, the access was a steep and narrow shaft...a small boy was lowered with a rope to investigate. The bloke who lived over the way had some workmen dig a tunnel from his place into the cave so he could charge admission. This is how you get in today.
The 18th century tunnel
Original entrance shaft
Part of the roof of the cave was dug out when they built the old butter market so it had to repaired (so there wouldnt be a huge hole in the market!)
The lower part of the wall is covered with simplistic carvings of biblical and religious figures and Templar figures. Interestingly, in spite of claims this represents a geomantic structure eg it is under the crossroads, there is no evidence of carvings any older than the suppression of the templars and the cave is not now under the crossroads, and wasnt when it was built - it was under a house. The crossroads is quite interesting too - it is the junction of Ermine street and Icknield Way, both roman roads. There was a cross at the junction erected possibly by the wife of William The Conquerors steward and the base of this is on a plinth next to the road.
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