Beer Quarry Caves
Beer Quarry Caves
5
About
Guided tours of vast underground caverns started by the Romans, which provided Beer stone used in 24 Cathedrals, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, and many other historic buildings. See for yourself where and how the stone was quarried, the appalling working conditions and dangers faced by the work force,some as young as 8 years old. See too, the site of the secret Catholic Chapel and where smugglers hid their contraband. 2000 years of heritage brought vividly to life
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- JohnWoodhouse36 contributionsGood tour with interesting cavesOn a last minute decision to do something passing the caves en route to beer we stopped here. It's quite dark down in the caves. Could really do with some more lighting. Don't forget your coat. It's cold . Our Guide, Gill was extremely informative and knowledgeable. We was lucky enough to arrive early and had our own personal tour with just the 2 of us. The hour long tour went by quickly and I would recommend the tour to anyone looking for something to do locally.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 April 2024
- elaine aMontreal, Canada81 contributionsA Memorial to the QuarrymenThe Beer Quarry is an important site to see. It's a rich part of natural and human history. Our guide, Gill, was obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about the site and answered all our questions. I very much appreciated her highlighting the quarrymen's hard work and contribution to the magnificent buildings that we so admire. These men deserve recognition and the quarry is a memorial to their sacrifice.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 April 2024
- dean01976 .Basingstoke, United Kingdom40 contributionsHistory at its bestNothing not to like, apart from the cold, but it’s expected when going underground to explore history since 50AD. Made all the more interesting by our knowledgeable guide Mike (definitely not Andy - tour joke). Within the first 10 minutes you walk through 1,000 years of history, which is unthinkable. A must visit if in the area and well worth the money. Thank you again Mike!Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 April 2024
- BurdejNewnham, United Kingdom89 contributionsToo much talk not enough caveThe beginning of the tour was a lot of talking stood outside the cave we were keen to get inside and explore. Once in the cave a good tour and interesting things to look at. Tour was 1.5hrs cost £20 for me and my 13 year old son. It would take no more than 10 minutes to walk round without the guide so not much cave to see.Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 11 April 2024
- JessLiskeard, United Kingdom24 contributionsIncredible Fine with FAB Tour Guide!This was a wonderful little find we happened upon after a night staying in Lyme Regis. It was easy to find with free parking and a nice little cafe and shop with outdoor seating. The caves themselves were incredible! Much more extensive than we had expected with vaulted ceilings in sections and a maze of pillars and chambers. The tour guide, Jill, was just wonderful and extremely knowledgeable about the various ages of the caves and their use. She answered all our questions and all on the tour were engaged by her easy and professional manner. The stories about those who had worked in and visited the caves were really interesting. All round it was a really great tour that lasted about an hour. Would highly recommend a visit the Beer Quarry Caves for anyone in the area, well worth it!Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 April 2024
- Elsa4 contributionsInteresting tourMy husband and grandchildren aged 10 and 7 had a guided tour led by Jill this morning which was excellent, informative, educational and interesting. Jill has an amazing amount of knowledge which she expertly delivers and she enthusiastically answered all my granddaughters many questions. Makes you appreciate the amount of work has gone into our beautiful historic buildings. Very well done. Thank youVisited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 15 April 2024
- travellersanonymousBeer, United Kingdom131 contributionsAmazing placeWonderful experience. Had no idea how huge they were. So much history and our guide taught us so much. Always knew they were here but wish I had visited sooner. Even managed to see some bats. All fairly level so hubby had no problem getting round though he has difficulty and walks with a stick. Really recommend a visit. Our Guide Mike was great and answered all the questions he was asked and was very knowledgable.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 April 2024
- Jill4 contributionsRecommend you visit!With little prior knowledge of these caves, we were astonished at the history and extent of these workings. Gill was an excellent and informative guide. She took time to impart her knowledge and we left with a great appreciation of what people suffered to provide the stone for some of our greatest buildings.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 30 April 2024
- Pixel406Sittingbourne, United Kingdom8 contributionsUnderground time travel.After seeing Michael Portillo visit Beer caves,we decided to pay a visit when we were staying nearby in West bay. So glad we did. A fascinating look into the past. We were lucky to be in a very small group so was able to ask questions. Mike the guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Don't forget to take a jacket and good shoes, caves are constantly cool in temperature and can be damp.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 May 2024
- J3689VVdavidcLeighton Buzzard, United Kingdom2 contributionsFive star excursionBrilliant afternoon out, you feel cold and wet and wonder how people have been cutting massive blocks of stone out since medieval times. Steve our guide was so interesting and because we'd missed our bus back, he gave us a lift home. I'd recommend wearing warmer clothes than you'd think that you're going to need, a waterproof coat, as water permeates through the rocks above your head and good walking shoes. We really enjoyed ourselves and can't recommend it enough.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 May 2024
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5.0
1,532 reviews
Excellent
1,232
Very good
250
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31
Poor
8
Terrible
11
Nbkd2012
Southwick, UK9 contributions
May 2024 • Family
We visited the Beer Quarry Caves today and it was a really interesting and fascinating experience - Mike the guide was extremely knowledgeable about the quarry and it’s history. The caves were very cold and wet inside so a coat and boots are a good idea. Lovely little tea room at the start/end with reasonably priced refreshments. We parked at Beer village and walked up which I wouldn’t recommend, as it was about a 30 minute uphill hike with most of it on a country road with fast cars and a steep incline. Had we known it was quite a walk we would have parked at the caves instead (our own fault). Overall it was a good experience even if the admission price is a little higher than expected.
Written 15 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rich1115
Gloucestershire, UK85 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
This is the second time we have visited the caves,we enjoyed it so much we decided to come for a second visit this time with other family members. The reception area is a cosy area that also sells souvenirs and refreshments that are very reasonably priced and very good. The staff do mention several times that it’s cold in the caves and it is! You definitely need a couple of layers and a jacket of some sort, I would recommend decent footwear as the ground is damp and a little uneven. The guided tour is well presented and very informative no hi tech iPads or headphones just a very informative commentary by Mike our guide,who makes sense of the different ways that the mining was done over the centuries and what a tortuous job it would have been. Overall a brilliant morning and one I would definitely recommend.
Written 24 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dagmar K
Minehead, UK4 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
We visited the caves for the first time on Monday 2 September on a drizzly dismal day during our stay at Beer Head Caravan Park. Our guide, Gillian, was very knowledgeable and told us many historic facts and stories during our 1 1/4 hour tour through the caves. It was all very fascinating and impressive and gave a good insight about the hard conditions the quarry workers had to face to get the famous Beer Stone out which was used widely in buildings and cathedrals around the country, including Exeter and London. To show off the fabulous acoustics, she asked us if anyone could sing. As my partner Tony and me are both musicians we broke into song-I was singing and Tony drummed along on his safety helmet - the other visitors and us where very impressed how good the sound in the caves actually is! After the tour Gillian stayed behind with some of us who wanted to and told us some interesting ghost stories. A truly memorable experience!
Written 4 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rambler
Devon, UK307 contributions
Oct 2022
Enjoyed our tour of the caves today led by Mike. It was very interesting and he had a nice way of putting over the information so that everyone was engaged, even a young boy of about 7 years old. However, I don’t recommend that you take any children less than about 7 years old as a a couple of children aged about 5 looked really bored. Also, one couple decided it was a good idea to take a toddler, not a good idea! Obviously he was bored, made a lot of noise babbling and crying and this was a distraction for everyone else on the tour and I am sure the parents never actually got to hear much of what Mike was saying as they were trying to keep the child amused and weren’t succeeding. However we all found it really interesting. It is cold so wear warm clothing and the lighting is dim and it is uneven underfoot. Ideally wear walking shoes, boots or trainers. The tour takes about one hour and 20 minutes, you have to book and wear a hard hat. The caves close at the end of October and re-open in the spring.
Written 24 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
daveashuk
Bristol, UK915 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Well worth spending 90 minutes in the Beer stone quarry, just west of the village on a guided tour, we didn’t pre-book and there was plenty of spaces available. You will be given a hard hat to wear and it’s well worth wearing warm clothing and boots. Mike our tour guide takes you through the different historical phases of the quarry and describes the quarry men’s life underground, along with the geological aspects of the quarry. There is a shop, small cafe and toilets on site.
Written 19 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holidaysrus2008
Retford, UK85 contributions
Jul 2023
A very interesting place to visit. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour with Gill, she brought the whole experience to life with the stories about the quarrymen, stonemasons, free masons and tallow candles…..and the ghost stories! Well worth the entrance fee and a lovely cuppa from the kiosk before the tour started. Sadly no bats in July but interesting to know they can hang there for a short while when they need to. It made a rainy afternoon most enjoyable and I would absolutely recommend to anyone 5 years and above for a couple of hour’s entertainment. Wear sturdy footwear and a coat!
Written 8 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin S
Taunton, UK147 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
A wonderful day out.
We booked the tour of Beer Caves for the visit of relatives and it was a great success.
The tour is extremely interesting and Nike, our guide, explained how the caves had been formed from the time of the Romans to more recent times, when the quarry/caves we visited were closed down as the demand for Beer stone waned.
The tour, which last around one hour and fifteen minutes takes you through a variety of caverns hewn out of the rock over the centuries, by workers as young as 11, who worked, up to 14 hours a day hewing out the Beer limestone into blocks, in cold conditions and with only the light of candles. Moreover the noise, with over 40 people working on the stone at any one time, must have been deafening.
There is a small cafe and souvenir shop and the village of Beer, with its quaint beach, shops, restaurants and cafes is only a short walk/drive away.
Highly recommended
We booked the tour of Beer Caves for the visit of relatives and it was a great success.
The tour is extremely interesting and Nike, our guide, explained how the caves had been formed from the time of the Romans to more recent times, when the quarry/caves we visited were closed down as the demand for Beer stone waned.
The tour, which last around one hour and fifteen minutes takes you through a variety of caverns hewn out of the rock over the centuries, by workers as young as 11, who worked, up to 14 hours a day hewing out the Beer limestone into blocks, in cold conditions and with only the light of candles. Moreover the noise, with over 40 people working on the stone at any one time, must have been deafening.
There is a small cafe and souvenir shop and the village of Beer, with its quaint beach, shops, restaurants and cafes is only a short walk/drive away.
Highly recommended
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin E
Milton Keynes, UK98 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Ever wondered where the expression "Stone deaf" originated? Apparently it comes from hearing damage from the ambient noise level of many men hammering, hacking and blasting in a mine. As demonstrated by Mike the guide bashing a helmet on a rock, noise echoing around underground is seriously loud!
The quarry caves are where Beer Stone has been mined since Roman times and it's a great place to visit which so much to see and learn. The tour takes just over an hour and is well worth it. In that time you only see a small percentage of the quarry.
Notes that there's no ducking or struggling to move, lots of space down there. However visitors will need decent shoes (no flip flops or sandals) as the floor is stone or gravel plus a warm jacket as the temp doesn't exceed 8 C even in summer!
Thoroughly recommended if you're near Beer.
The quarry caves are where Beer Stone has been mined since Roman times and it's a great place to visit which so much to see and learn. The tour takes just over an hour and is well worth it. In that time you only see a small percentage of the quarry.
Notes that there's no ducking or struggling to move, lots of space down there. However visitors will need decent shoes (no flip flops or sandals) as the floor is stone or gravel plus a warm jacket as the temp doesn't exceed 8 C even in summer!
Thoroughly recommended if you're near Beer.
Written 24 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul G
Clyro, UK16 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
A large group of us, including the Hay Shantymen from Hay-On-Wte and the Bellow Fellows from London visited the caves yesterday morning, having informed them that we would like to sing in the caves during the tour if possible. We were met by Mike our guide at the agreed time and entered the caves. Mike was a brilliant guide, knowledgeable, interesting, amusing and extremely accommodating re: our singing. The caves are an enormous complex from which high quality stone had been quarried from About AD50 to 1920. Mike took us on an historical 1.5 hour tour through the complex explaining and illustrating the changes in technology and methods with reference to the physical structure of the caves. In addition, the acoustic for singing was amazing and we all agreed it was a fabulous experience.
Written 30 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elisa T
21 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
We visited on a short break away as it sounded like something a bit different to do and we’re really glad we went. We were given hard hats then went down to the quarry with our group and guide. He was really knowledgeable telling us all of the history of the quarry over the years and explaining how the limestone was dug out and used in different ways. It’s very cold down there so wear something warm! The history was really interesting but also hearing about how it’s used now for plays and gigs, the acoustics and atmosphere must be amazing. Some of our group had dogs so it’s fine to take them along and one really enjoyed rolling around in the sand . The floor is uneven and wet in places so wellies would be good. We were lucky that some bats had started to move in for the winter hibernation so it was a treat to see them. Really enjoyed our visit.
Written 24 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Would these caves be okay for me to visit as I have Claustrophobia ? (I was okay in Cheddar and Wookey Hole caves as they are quite large but had to give the mine at Blists Hill Victorian Village a miss).
Written 10 May 2024
Do they allow dogs as we have our dog on holiday with us .xxx
Written 9 August 2017
On the tour today (October 2022) two dogs were on the tour and no one was worried.
Written 18 October 2022
The ground is very steep and rocky so unfortunately a wheelchair would not be able to negotiate any of the terrain.
Written 25 July 2017
Hi, Admission prices are on website £8.00 ADULTS, £6.00 children 5 to 16. UNDER 5 YRS FREE
£6.00 SENIORS
Written 15 May 2017
I am partially disabled using crutches. I'm guessing this won't be a suitable place to visit for me?
Written 21 March 2017
Unfortunately there is a steep approach path down to the entrance which has to be climbed again after the tour which is an hour on your feet. Whilst we do have visitors with disabilities, we always urge caution and your own discretion.
I do hope this is of help
Regards,
John
Written 21 March 2017
Hello, Are the caves dog friendly, please, Thanks, Simon and Paula, and Dolly!
Written 22 February 2017
Hi ,
many thanks for your enquiry. Unfortunately only assistance dogs are allowed on underground tour. Despite all staff being dog lovers this is not our ruling but is because the workings are a special site for hibernating bats.
Sorry if this disappoints you.
Regards,
John
Written 26 February 2017
Hi can wheelchairs access easily?
Written 16 September 2016
Unfortunately not, lots of steep hills!
Written 23 September 2016
Hi
Just wondering when you had the tour of the caves did the tour guide mention anything about smugglers, I have a family history of smugglers in the area and wondered if it was worth a visit.
Regards irene
Written 13 March 2016
Hi Irene,
The quarry was used for hiding contraband during smuggling times and if you ask your guide there are many fully researched stories. Strangely whilst one of our guides is descended from a long line of smugglers, one of my ancestors was at the same time the local customs officer.
Kind regards,
John
Written 13 March 2016
Hi and thanks for your enquiry.
We do have many visitors using pushchairs but we always make them aware of the steep approach path to the entrance, and that below ground is cold so warm clothing is advisable.
I hope this helps, should you have any further questions please get back to me, or call the caves direct on 01297 680282 between 10am and 5pm.
We hope to see you soon.
Kind regards,
John
Written 18 August 2015
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