Blue John Cavern

The Blue John Cavern is, in itself a series of caverns considered to be the finest range in Great Britain! It is of immense educational interest showing so very clearly how caverns are formed in the limestone strata, and how the limestone itself had much earlier been formed by the deposits on the floors of great oceans, which have long receded, as the fossilized remains of marine animals now show. The Cavern is well illuminated by electric lighting. Very comprehensive planning was necessary here to ensure that the whole project was complementary to the caverns as a showplace, without appearing to intrude or commercialize in any way. From the many favourable comments it would appear that this aim has been achieved satisfactorily - and it has been suggested by a considerable number of people that the Blue John Cavern is the finest that can be seen by the general public, not only in Great Britain but in the whole of Western Europe.

History

The Blue John Cavern in Derbyshire

Blue John is Britain’s rarest mineral, first discovered at Castleton by the Romans almost 2000 years ago. The worlds only known deposits of this extremely rare and beautiful stone have been found in Castleton to date. During excavations at Pompeii, two vases of Blue John Stone were supposedly unearthed, evidence therefore that the romans not only discovered the stone but also appreciated it for its ornamental value. The Blue John Cavern is home to 8 of the 15 known veins of this beautiful mineral.