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Description
In August 1742, workmen were erecting a bench inside the market house that sat near the crossroads in the middle of the Hertfordshire town of Royston. The men dug a hole to create foundations for the new bench, uncovering a mill-stone concealed beneath the floor. During their examination of the stone they broke through the central hole, revealing a large bell shaped cave beneath. When they descended into the darkness, they were amazed to discover that the walls of the cave were covered in a mass of strange and intricate carvings – the like of which had never before been seen in England. The cave soon attracted the attention of antiquarians, all of whom had differing opinions as to the origins of these fascinating carvings, and the debate continues to this day. Were the carvings the work of a medieval hermit, unfortunate prisoners cast down into the darkness, or even the coded messages of the Knights Templar?
Image description: Detail view of the inscriptions at Royston Cave