Carnglaze Caverns

Carnglaze Caverns lie deep in Cornwall’s Loveny Valley, near the village of St Neot. They are three large man-made caves cut into the rock of an old slate quarry. The caverns sit below ground, reached by a gentle slope from the surface. The first cavern, called the Rum Store, was used by the Royal Navy in the Second World War to hold barrels of rum. In 2001 the same space became an auditorium with seats for four hundred people. The lowest cavern holds a still lake that once reflected the sky for an album cover. The caverns have become a stage for music and art. Folk-rock acts such as Fish and Fairport Convention have played here, and bands like Embrace and British Sea Power gave concerts in the 2000s. Craft and mineral shows are also held among the stone walls. The site’s echoes and shadows have drawn film crews, including a recent Harry Potter production. Each event adds another layer to the caverns’ story. Visitors walk down a sloping passage to the first chamber, where rows of seats face the dark rock. The Rum Store still smells faintly of wood and damp. Further down, a narrow path leads to the lake cavern, its water calm and black. The air stays cool and still, broken only by distant voices or music from time to time. Above ground, the slate quarry’s edges frame views of rolling Cornish countryside. The caverns feel both ancient and alive with every new performance or show.