Royston Cave

Royston Cave is an artificial chamber cut into chalk beneath Katherine’s Yard in the Hertfordshire town of Royston. It stands at the crossing of two old routes: the Roman Ermine Street and the Iron Age Icknield Way. The cave is protected as a scheduled ancient monument and a Grade I listed building. Its origin remains unknown despite centuries of speculation. Theories link it to Templars, Freemasons, anchorites, or local notables. None of these ideas has firm evidence to support it. The cave is a circular, bell-shaped room about eight metres high and five metres wide. Its walls hold medieval carvings unlike any other in western Europe. Among the figures are saints such as Catherine of Alexandria, Lawrence, and Christopher. The carvings may once have been coloured, with traces of yellow and red still visible in the 19th century. Archaeologist Nikolaus Pevsner dated the work between the 14th and 17th centuries. A Sheela na Gig and scenes like the Crucifixion appear alongside candle holes for lighting. Visitors enter through a passage dug in 1790 after the original shaft filled with earth. The cave’s damp conditions once attracted worms that damaged the carvings. Restoration removed soil and debris to discourage the pests and repaired water leaks. The cave sits below a busy road whose vibrations still threaten the walls. Despite care, it was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in 2018.