Hidden beneath a random residential side street in everybody’s favourite seaside town is Shell Grotto. Its exterior is unassuming, to say the least – and so you’d be forgiven for walking straight past it without even noticing. It would be a real shame if you did, though. Because we all know that it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And inside Margate‘s rather magical shell grotto is a twinkling treasure trove of secret rooms, subterranean tunnels, and just so many shells.
Shell Grotto
Shell Grotto does what it says on the tin, to be quite honest with you. It’s a grotto. And it’s full of shells. How many shells, I hear you ask? 4.6 million of them. Yes, really. Shell mosaics adorn almost every inch of the 70 feet-long passageway, making the grotto one of those places that really needs to be seen to be believed. It really is the epitome of a hidden gem, and we’d highly recommend you seeking it out if you’re in the area.
The winding chalk walls are dazzling decked out with intricately-arranged mussel, cockle, whelk, limpet, scallop, and oyster shells – most of which are believed to have been sourced locally. The network of tunnels lead to a rectangular room at the end (the Altar Chamber), which – you guessed it, folks – is also covered head-to-toe with shimmering seashells.
The history of Shell Grotto
Now a Grade I listed building that’s open to the public, Shell Grotto attracts visitors from near and far with its mesmerising mosaics. But that certainly wasn’t always the case. In fact, nobody really knows how, why or when Shell Grotto actually came to be. There’s no solid story confirming its origins, just a number of theories around how it was constructed, and what it was originally used for. Some think it was built as the folly of an extravagant rich man; others believed it to be a meeting place for witchcraft or worship; and the slightly more pessimistic assume it’s just a tourist trap with no notable backstory. What we do no for certain, however, is that it’s pretty darn impressive and a bit of a shame that nobody has ever been able to take credit it for it.
Another thing that can’t seem to be agreed upon is how Shell Grotto was actually discovered, although it seems as though all accounts point back to the year 1835. A widely believed tale of the grotto’s discovery involves a man called James Newlove digging a duck pond with his son, Joshua, when they came across the subterranean structure. Another story is quite simply that a large stone was listed one day to reveal the grotto. Either way, we’re ever so glad that it was found – and the mystery just adds to the enchanting allure of the place.
Getting to the Shell Grotto from London
You’ll find the Shell Grotto at 33 Grotto Hill, Margate CT9 2BU, which is approximately a 20 minute walk from Margate train station. Speedy services run from St Pancras International to Margate or you can hop on a slightly slower (but still direct) train from London Victoria.
Find out more and plan your visit here.
