Hermit Kings & Victorian Picnics: A Tactical Strike at Anchor Church Caves

I have wanted to visit Anchor Church Caves for a very long time. The entire site has an intriguing, almost otherworldly atmosphere, carved directly into the soft sandstone bluffs overlooking the ancient course of the River Trent near Ingleby.

What makes the caves so fascinating is how much the structure has been altered over the centuries to suit vastly different human needs.

Initially, the caves served as the solitary dwelling of a 9th-century hermit—believed to be the exiled Northumbrian King Eardwulf, who lived and prayed in seclusion here. That sacred origin is almost certainly where the "Church" name originates, though as far as I am aware, that is where the formal religious connection ends.

Fast forward to the 19th century, and the site took on a far more decadent role. Sir Francis Burdett transformed the hermit's retreat into a romantic picnic spot for his guests, enlarging the door frames and window apertures. At one point, the cave was fully furnished, complete with a fitted wooden door and glazed windows to keep the Derbyshire chill at bay.

Returning to the Sandstone Wilderness

Today, the cave feels a lot closer to what King Eardwulf would have experienced, in so far as it has reverted to a raw, open sandstone cavern with no doors or glass.

However, the apertures for the doors and windows remain far larger than they ever would have been back in the Anglo-Saxon era. In the 9th century, those openings would have been carved as small as possible to prevent the biting winter winds from cutting straight through the stone chamber.

I'll admit, I would have loved to stay a bit longer to experiment with framing light through the rock cutouts. However, my wife was keen to move on, so the photography turned into a bit of a rapid "tactical strike"—firing off a series of quick compositions before we hit the trail again!

Behind the Lens: Interior Cave Framing
Artist's Note: Photographing sandstone cave interiors presents an extreme dynamic range challenge. The difference in brightness between the dark, textured interior walls and the sunlit landscape outside the window apertures can easily blow out your highlights or crush your shadow detail. To capture both:
Expose for the External Light: Keep the external view crisp and detailed rather than a solid white cutout.
Use Natural Framing: Position yourself deep inside the chamber so the dark, arched sandstone apertures act as a natural frame around the outside foliage or river view.
Lift Shadows In Post: Shoot in RAW so you can selectively recover the subtle red and ochre tones of the inner cave walls without introducing heavy noise.