Pope'S Grotto In Grounds Of St Catherine'S High School

Pope's Grotto is located in the grounds of St Catherine's High School. This grotto features a rusticated arched entrance that faces the river and runs under the road to what was once part of Pope's Estate, now the school playing fields. The passage was lengthened when the road was widened in the 19th to 20th centuries. Inside, there is a long passage with two "chapels," one on either side of the entrance. The walls are lined with cement that incorporates rocks, stones, and stalactites, which are said to have come from Wookey Hole in Somerset, and the cement is shaped to resemble rough rocks.

There are a few pieces of sculpture, such as statues, in the "chapels," though they are not of high quality. The original decorations that once adorned the grotto have long since disappeared, leaving it dark and gloomy, but it remains dry. The grotto is well maintained and preserved by the Sisters. The school and convent are situated on the site of Pope's House, which is located above the entrance to the grotto. There is also a smaller grotto in the grounds, likely of similar origin.