For our August issue, The Listing caught up with Luke Paton, who has been guiding visitors through Royston Cave since 2005 – the very same year that The Listing launched.
Luke explains: “I started giving tours of Royston Cave in 2005, at the age of 16. I grew up in Royston and was hoping to study archaeology at university, so I thought it might be the perfect weekend job. 20 years later and that opinion hasn’t changed, although lots of other aspects of the role of a guide have.
“As those who have visited the cave will know, its origins are a bit of an enigma as there aren’t any records of it prior to 1742. What exactly it was used for, when and by whom isn’t known although when I started the tours heavily featured the theory proposed by Sylvia Beamon (1992) that the cave was medieval in origin and used by the Knights Templar.
“Since then, other theories have gained popularity, including the cave being a place of early Freemasonry in England, proposed by former Cave Manager Peter Houldcroft (2008), a hermitage, a wayside chapel, a grain store or anchorhold.
“These days, we discuss a number of these theories during the tour and one of the things I enjoy most about being a guide is hearing the thoughts and suggestions on the cave’s origins from visitors.
“I’ve given tours to all types of people, from academics to freemasons, mediums to TV crews and to children of all ages, and each brings their own unique perspective and experiences. More than once I’ve gone away and researched a theory suggested by a visitor and then incorporated it into future tours.
“In 2005, tours weren’t bookable in advance and were shorter so that more were given each afternoon, on a much looser schedule. These days guides speak the tours but back then we had an audio voiceover, so my job was largely to take the entry fee, keep an eye on health and safety and shine the torch to highlight the carvings that the audio was describing at any given moment.
“Moving to spoken tours was a positive change which I think gives a much more personable experience and allows guides to engage with visitors by taking questions as the tour progresses.
“The past few years we’ve also introduced summer solstice tours, sensory adapted sessions and a worksheet for children, all of which have enhanced the visitor experience.
“For me personally, Royston Cave has been an important part of my life; skills I developed being a guide were key in landing my first few ‘proper’ jobs, I proposed in the Cave (she said yes!), have given tours to friends and family and encouraged family to get involved; my younger brother, Nicky, became manager of the cave for a few years.
“I’ve had people faint, cry, laugh and even a few storm out, I’ve given tours to people from across the world and have been present for seances, dowsing, chanting, singing, various sessions with crystals and a few candlelit openings. I’ve met some great people, not least the other guides, and I’d encourage anyone who has an interest in local history to consider being a guide. It’s not a huge time commitment, but I’ve found it to be hugely rewarding.
“Whether I’ll be a guide for another 20 years, I can’t say, but my hope is that this mysterious and fascinating link to Royston’s history continues to inspire visitors. Whether we’ll be able to shed any more definitive light on its origins, I doubt, but I think the fact we don’t know makes it a little more special.”
Find out more about visiting Royston Cave, and book a tour, at www.roystoncave.co.uk | FB | Insta
