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It was taken during a London Flickr Meetup day trip to Margate. Soon after we all met in Margate, the group exploded in small units. I followed one and we visited the "famous" shell Grotto.
I dind't know what to expect so it was a nice surprised. It reminds me the kind of work done by the Moor with heavily decorated walls as you can see in Andalousia.
There is a kind of mistery about that place : an underground cave with the walls covered with shells, lots of shells : about 4.6 millions of shells. It's unusual an pretty dark. This the traditonnal photo ... but in low light you can unleash your creativity ... stay tuned.
more informations on their website : www.shellgrotto.co.uk/pages/welcome.html
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© Patrick Mayon - All rights reserved - Comments and critics welcome. Group invitations with graphics deleted
Discovered in 1835, Margate's Shell Grotto is an astonishing find; 21 metres of winding passages decorated with 4.6 million shells. The walls are covered in images of gods and goddesses, trees of life and patterns of whelks, mussels and oysters. Some think it is an ancient Pagan grotto, others that it is simply an ornate Regency folly; but with no definitive explanation or history, the Shell Grotto is Kent's greatest mystery.
Nobody knows who built Shell Grotto or why, it was discovered in the 1800s when the dude who owned the land above it fell through a hole in his garden. One of the most fascinating places I've ever been.
The Shell Grotto is an ornate subterranean passageway in Margate, Kent. Almost all the surface area of the walls and roof is covered in mosaics created entirely of seashells, totalling about 2,000 square feet (190 m2) of mosaic, or 4.6 million shells. It was discovered in 1835 but its age remains unknown. The grotto is a Grade I listed building and is open to the public.
Inside Margate's Shell Grotto
Margate's Shell Grotto was discovered in 1835, although its actual age and origin is unknown.
The grotto is a 70ft passageway ending at the Altar Room, a small rectangular chamber 15 by 20ft.
The grotto gets its name from the 4.6m shells that decorate the interior with geometric patterns and stylised imagery.