Conducted tours let you walk through this vast man-made complex of underground caverns, 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. Pauls, parts of Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle.
Beer Quarry Caves in Devon  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. 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. 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. A refuge and place of worship for Catholics during times of persecution, hiding place for
contraband in the days when Beer was home to the infamous smuggler Jack Rattenbury, legend and human interest stories abound. The quarry was worked from Roman times until the beginning of the 20th century and the entire complex is a vast memorial to those from the village some as young as eight years old who worked here over the centuries providing the stone we see today in some of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in England. |
