• What's On
    • Big Devon Events
    • Festivals
    • Markets
    • Food & Drink Festivals Events
    • Sports Events
    • Art Events
    • Music Events
    • Monthly Events Calendar
    • Tell Us About Your Event
  • Explore
    • Areas to Visit
      • Dartmoor
      • The English Riviera
      • East Devon and Jurassic Coast
      • Mid Devon
      • North Devon
      • South Devon
      • Exeter
      • Plymouth
      • Exmoor
    • Cities, Towns & Villages
      • Ashburton
      • Axminster
      • Barnstaple
      • Beer
      • Bideford
      • Bovey Tracey
      • Brixham
      • Budleigh Salterton
      • Chagford
      • Combe Martin
      • Crediton
      • Croyde
      • Cullompton
      • Dartmouth
      • Dawlish
      • Exeter
      • Exmouth
      • Honiton
      • Ilfracombe
      • Kingsbridge
      • Moretonhampstead
      • Newton Abbot
      • Okehampton
      • Ottery St Mary
      • Paignton
      • Plymouth
      • Salcombe
      • Seaton
      • Sidmouth
      • Slapton
      • South Molton
      • Tavistock
      • Teignmouth
      • Tiverton
      • Torquay
      • Totnes
      • Westward Ho!
      • Woolacombe
    • Eco Friendly Devon
    • Dog Friendly Devon
      • Dog Friendly Beaches
    • History and Heritage
      • D Day in Devon
      • Dartmoor’s Myths and Legends
      • Devon's Commonwealth Graves
    • Webcams in Devon
    • Autumn Breaks
      • Amazing accommodation
      • A fresh new flavour
      • Something new with every season
      • Things to do in the autumn
    • Faces of Devon
  • Accommodation
    • All Hotels
      • Boutique Hotels
      • Country House Hotels
      • Spa Hotels
    • Bed & Breakfasts and Guest Houses
    • Self Catering
      • Cottages in Devon
    • Campsites
    • Campervans & Motorhomes
    • Caravan & Holiday Parks
    • Glamping & Alternative Accommodation
    • Farm Stays
    • Hostels and Budget
    • Romantic Breaks
    • Dog Friendly
    • Eco Friendly
    • Serviced Apartments
    • Wellness Retreats in Devon
  • Things To Do
    • Attractions
      • Beaches
      • Adventure, Theme & Water Parks
      • Animals & Aquariums
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Castles, Forts & Caves
      • Cinemas in Devon
      • Breweries and Micro Breweries in Devon
      • Family Friendly
      • History & Culture
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Marinas in Devon
      • Parks & Gardens
      • Stately Homes & Manors
      • Theatres & Events
    • Activities
      • Outdoor Pursuits
      • Walking & Hiking
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Cycling & Cycle Routes in Devon
      • Climbing
      • Horse Riding
      • Shooting
      • Fishing
      • Golf
      • Health & Fitness
      • Horse Racing
      • Cookery Schools
      • Boat Trips in Devon
    • Watersports
      • Surfing
      • Swimming
      • Sailing
      • Kayaks, Canoes and Rowing Boats
      • Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
      • Paddle Boarding
    • Shopping
      • Shopping in Devon
    • Free Days Out
    • Rainy Days
    • Ideas and Inspiration
    • Tours & Sightseeing
  • Food & Drink
    • Places to Eat & Drink
      • Restaurants
      • Cafes & Tearooms
      • Pubs & Bars
      • Fast Food & Takeaways
    • Special Requirements
      • Vegetarian & Vegan
      • Local Produce
      • Family Friendly
      • Seafood
    • Devon Cream Teas
    • Afternoon Tea in Devon
    • Award Winning
    • Food Tours, Breweries & Vineyards
    • Cookery Schools
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Devon Gin
    • Food and Drink Events
  • Conferences
    • Conference Venues
    • Delegate Accommodation
    • Eating Out in Devon for Conference Delegates
    • Incentive Travel
    • Make an Enquiry
    • Making the most of your time
    • Team Building
    • Travelling to Devon for Conference Delegates
    • Why Devon
  • Weddings
  • Special Offers
  • Visitor Info
    • Plan Your Visit
      • Visitor Information Centres
      • Maps & Guides
    • Getting Here
      • Great Western Railway
      • South Western Railway
    • Getting Around Devon
      • Parking in Devon
    • Competitions
      • Win a Whisky Tasting Experience with Dartmoor Whis
    • A guide to social distancing on the beach
    • More Information
      • Contact Us
      • Enewsletter Sign Up
      • Visit Devon News
      • Advertise With Us
      • Important information on Covid-19
    • Escape the Everyday
  • COVID-19
    • Good to Go Accommodation
    • Good to Go Things to Do

Don't miss

  • Thumbnail for North Devon

    North Devon

  • Thumbnail for Plymouth

    Plymouth

  • Thumbnail for Mid Devon

    Mid Devon

  • Thumbnail for South Devon

    South Devon

Menu
  • Explore

    Explore

  • Stay

  • Experience

  • What's On

    What's On in Devon

Site Search

Book Accommodation

Book Experiences

Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.

To build your own Itinerary, click Add to Excursion to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

List All My Saved Itineraries

  • Print Logo

You are here > Home > Things To Do > Beer Quarry Caves

Beer quarry caves
  • Beer quarry caves
  • William Cawley
  • Caves
  • Church
  • Forest
  • Caves
  • Underground
  • Quarry caves
  • Horses
  • Quarry

Beer Quarry Caves

Book Tickets Online

About

Beer Quarry Caves has a 2,000-year history of quarrying   Beer stone using virtually unchanged methods from Roman times until the last century.

Our guides will take you on an hour-long tour through the awe-inspiring caves, with their mighty halls of vaulted roofs and pillars of Beer stone which have been likened to a vast underground cathedral.

Listen to the amazing stories of the local quarrymen who worked 14 hours per day 200ft below ground in appalling conditions and the employment of children as young as eight years old.

Visit the small museum featuring a late medieval Beer stone church window, to marvel at the skill of the stonemasons and the basic tools used by the quarrymen, who risked their lives to extract the stone from the underground workings.

Beer Quarry Caves

Many of us marvel at the intricacy of stonemasons’ work found on numerous stately buildings, cathedrals and churches. But do we ever stop to consider where the stone comes from and the history of the excavation behind it?

The caves have a long and interesting history, which not only includes quarrying, but also as a refuge and place of worship for Catholics facing persecution and a hiding place for smuggled contraband!

Beer Quarry Caves in East Devon has provided Beer stone for many prestigious buildings, Roman villas,24 cathedrals, including Exeter, Winchester and St Paul’s , Westminster  Abbey, Hampton Court Palace, and the Tower of London.

But to enable stonemasons to carve the intricate designs, Beer quarrymen endured centuries of working in appalling conditions to provide the perfect carving material.

See for yourself the methods used to quarry and deliver the huge blocks of stone, imagine the daily dangers faced by the workers to each quarry a four ton block per day, working only by the light of flickering tallow candles.

On your visit you will see:

- Sheer grandeur of the mighty halls, vaulted roofs and massive supporting pillars of natural stone.

- The Roman chambers house a small museum with Beer stone carved centuries ago the basic hand tools used to excavate the stone and archive images of the men at work and the horse drawn wagons used to deliver the huge blocks, often hundreds of miles

- Inscriptions written by the quarrymen and carved by stonemasons

- Tool marks still visible on the walls

- The change in the caves’ chambers as they were quarried from Roman, Saxon and Norman times to the last century.

- The methods used to quarry and deliver the huge blocks of stone often hundreds of miles on horse-drawn wagons and barges which sailed from Beer beach.

Described by Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project as “A moving and Inspirational place. Inspiring awe at the labours and skills of man throughout 2,000 years and particularly moving because of the injustice of a system which allowed their labours to be valued so lightly. A must- see destination and the best guided tour I have ever had” Sir Tim Smit, Eden Project”

Book Tickets

Visit Website

Guide Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
Adult£9.00 per ticket
Child 5 to 16 years£7.00 per ticket
Family (2 Adults +2 Children)£28.80 per ticket
Seniors 65 years and over£7.00 per ticket

First tour 10.30. See website for tour times throughout the day Guided tours.
Child under 5 years FREE

Facilities

Catering

  • On-Site café/restaurant - Light Refreshments, Home-made cakes, Hot and cold drinks

Key Features

  • Families

Parking & Transport

  • Parking (free)

Map & Directions

View Map

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HistoricBeerQuarryCaves/
Quarry Lane, Beer, Seaton, Devon, EX12 3AS

Visit Website

Email

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel01297 680282

Add Beer Quarry Caves to your Itinerary

Opening Times

Season (6 Apr 2022 - 31 Oct 2022)

What's Nearby

  1. Pecorama

    Pecorama

    Home to PECO, the world famous model railway track manufacturer, Pecorama is one of…

    0.57 miles away
  2. Seaton Tramway logo

    Seaton Tramway

    For a great day out in Devon, visit Seaton Tramway a attraction featuring a narrow gauge…

    2.04 miles away
  3. The Donkey Sanctuary

    The Donkey Sanctuary

    No trip to Devon is complete without visiting The Donkey Sanctuary.

    3.36 miles away
  1. Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum

    Sidmouth Toy & Model Museum

    A unique collection of vintage and modern toys and models for all the family to enjoy.

    5.72 miles away
  2. Orangery, Bicton Gardens

    Bicton Park Botanical Gardens

    Visit Bicton Park Botanical Gardens for a day and you can upgrade to an annual membership…

    8.98 miles away
  3. Tractor

    Bicton Countryside Museum

    There is something uniquely eclectic and informal about the diversity of exhibits that…

    9.16 miles away
  4. Wildwood Escot

    Wildwood Escot

    Amazing Animals, magnificent Maze, outdoor Adventure Play, indoor Soft Play, terrific…

    9.85 miles away
  5. bud lit fest

    Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival

    The Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, established in 2009, is the leading south west…

    10.22 miles away
  6. World of Country Life

    World of Country Life

    It’s not every day you can hand feed a deer or a llama, walk a pygmy goat or bottle feed…

    12.39 miles away
  7. Crealy Theme Park & Resort

    Crealy Theme Park & Resort

    Crealy Theme Park & Resort is the South West’s number one family value day out, home to…

    13.33 miles away
  8. stuart line cruises

    Stuart Line Cruises


    Voted ‘Best Small Attraction in Devon’, Stuart Line Cruises is a multi-award-winning,…

    14.72 miles away
  9. Powderham Castle

    Powderham Castle

    Come & explore Powderham's unique story.

    15.73 miles away
  10. The Paint Hub

    The Paint Hub

    The Paint Hub is a pottery painting cafe where you can customise your own piece of…

    16.19 miles away
  11. Devon’s Top Attractions

    Devon’s Top Attractions

    If you’re looking for a day out in Devon, the Devon Association of Tourist Attractions is…

    16.22 miles away
  12. blue flowers

    National Trust - Killerton

    Killerton Estate in the heart of Devon.

    16.34 miles away
  13. Coldharbour Mill

    Coldharbour Mill

    Coldharbour Mill is one of the oldest woollen mills in the UK having been in continuous…

    16.99 miles away
Previous Next

Search What's Nearby

Product Type
Proximity
Within miles
Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..Loading..
Loading..Loading..Loading..
Contact Us

Contact Us

Request a Guide

Request a Guide

E-newsletter

E-newsletter

Travel Info

Travel Info

  • Devon
  • North Devon
  • Sidmouth
  • Industry
What's On
Big Devon Events
Festivals
Markets
Food & Drink Festivals Events
Sports Events
Art Events
Music Events
Monthly Events Calendar
Tell Us About Your Event
Explore
Areas to Visit
Cities, Towns & Villages
Eco Friendly Devon
Dog Friendly Devon
History and Heritage
Accommodation
Glamping & Alternative Accommodation
Romantic Breaks
All Hotels
Bed & Breakfasts and Guest Houses
Self Catering
Campsites
Caravan & Holiday Parks
Farm Stays
Serviced Apartments
Dog Friendly
Things To Do
Attractions
Activities
Watersports
Shopping
Free Days Out
Rainy Days
Ideas and Inspiration
Tours & Sightseeing
Food & Drink
Places to Eat & Drink
Special Requirements
Devon Cream Teas
Award Winning
Food Tours, Breweries & Vineyards
Cookery Schools
Celebrity Chefs
Food and Drink Events
Special Offers
Attraction & Activity Offers
B&B and Guest House Offers
Food and Drink Offers
Holiday Park Offers
Hotel Offers
Seasonal Offers
Conference and Wedding Offers
Self Catering Offers
Visitor Info
Plan Your Visit
Getting Here
Getting Around Devon
Competitions
More Information
Escape the Everyday
COVID-19
Devon Business
Membership
Business Directory
Members Blog
Press and Media
Image & Video Library
Contact Us

© Visit Devon Community Interest Company

  • Enewsletter Sign Up
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Tell Us About Your Event
  • Terms and Conditions
Made by Simpleview Logo

Ratings & Reviews

Powered By

Beyonk Logo
Experience Booking Powered by Beyonk