Cave with medieval Gothic ‘shrine’ by UCL Archaeology South-East

The unsuspected cave, discovered during major work on the cutting by the southern end of the railway tunnel that passes under the hill, could fill gaps in the story of the medieval St Katherine’s chapel and fair.

In 1329, John de Stratford, Bishop of Winchester, wrote of miracles and the fervent devotion of the faithful at St Katherine’s chapel on Dragehull by Guildford but no known documents explain what he meant.

Perhaps the cave is evidence of a hermit or of the shrine of a long-forgotten healer who played their part in events on the hill.

We can’t be sure if the cave was originally bigger or whether the carvings are 14th century or perhaps as late as the 19th century, like the graffiti cut into the walls of the chapel itself.

Analysis of organic residues taken from the cave should help say when it was used and we await the full report from the archaeologists to tell us more about what was found.