Saint Roberts Cave, Also Called Saint Roberts Chapel, Approximately 120 Metres South West of Grimbald Bridge
SAINT ROBERTS CAVE, ALSO CALLED SAINT ROBERTS CHAPEL, APPROXIMATELY 120 METRES SOUTH WEST OF GRIMBALD BRIDGE, ABBEY ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1149914
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-1952
- List Entry Name:
- Saint Roberts Cave, Also Called Saint Roberts Chapel, Approximately 120 Metres South West of Grimbald Bridge
- Statutory Address:
- SAINT ROBERTS CAVE, ALSO CALLED SAINT ROBERTS CHAPEL, APPROXIMATELY 120 METRES SOUTH WEST OF GRIMBALD BRIDGE, ABBEY ROAD
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-06-25
- Reference:
- IOE01/04774/03
- Rights:
- © Mr Chris Broadribb. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1149914
- Date first listed:
- 05-Feb-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 12-Dec-1985
- List Entry Name:
- Saint Roberts Cave, Also Called Saint Roberts Chapel, Approximately 120 Metres South West of Grimbald Bridge
- Statutory Address 1:
- SAINT ROBERTS CAVE, ALSO CALLED SAINT ROBERTS CHAPEL, APPROXIMATELY 120 METRES SOUTH WEST OF GRIMBALD BRIDGE, ABBEY ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- SAINT ROBERTS CAVE, ALSO CALLED SAINT ROBERTS CHAPEL, APPROXIMATELY 120 METRES SOUTH WEST OF GRIMBALD BRIDGE, ABBEY ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- North Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Knaresborough
- National Grid Reference:
- SE 36100 56087
Details
SE 35 NE KNARESBOROUGH ABBEY ROAD (east side)
3/35 Saint Robert's Cave, also called Saint Robert's 5.2.52 Chapel, approximately 120 metres south west of Grimbald Bridge (formerly listed as St Robert's Cave or Chapel)
- II*
Cave and foundations of adjoining chapel or outbuildings. Associated with Saint Robert the hermit, 1160-1218, but no datable features. Foundations of rectangular building containing grave recess, rock-cut bench and steps. Entrance to cave between bench (left) and steps (right). The cave is entered down two steps and contains an outer and inner chamber. The walls and roof are covered by niches and inscriptions. At time of resurvey the cave contained 30 centimetres of water and the building foundations were overgrown. The cave is associated with the legendary hermit, Robert Flower, but it was known previously as Saint Giles' Chapel. Robert's brother, Walter, was Mayor of York and he sent craftsmen to build a chapel of hewn stone in honour of the Holy Cross, with a house where Robert might receive pilgrims and the poor. This site is thought to be of that period (Jennings, p 103) The cave became a popular tourist attraction after the discovery in 1746 of the body of Daniel Clark, for whose murder Eugene Aram was hanged in 1759. The event was used by Lord Lytton for a novel published in 3 volumes, 1832. Abbot Cummins, "Knaresborough Cave Chapels", Yorks Arch J,XXVIII, (1926) pp 80-88. B Jennings (Ed), Harrogate and Knaresborough, 1970, pp 98 and 381. H Speight, Nidderdale, 1906, pp 249-51.
Listing NGR: SE3610056087
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 330698
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Speight, H, Nidderdale, (1906), 249-51
Jennings, B, A History of Harrogate and Knaresborough, (1970), 98, 381
Yorkshire Archaeological Journal in Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 28, (1926), 80-8
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 25-Jun-2026 at 08:50:51.
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