'Please remember the grotto ' This used to be the cry of children on St James' day who erected miniature grottoes of shells on street corners and requested coins from passers-by. Throughout the eighteenth century and beyond, grottoes as decorative and mystical creations were a familiar concept, consciously constructed as places to inspire awe in the beholder. Ruby Haslam delves deep into the stories behind two of Britain's most important grottoes, that of Alexander Pope in Twickenham and the famous Shell Grotto at Margate. Her research is extensive as she draws frequently from primary sources to explore their origins, symbolism, sanctity and splendour and sheds light on the murky past of these underground marvels. In this compelling read, Haslam, too, urges us to 'remember the grotto' - its beauty and significance as part of our artistic, social and religious history.