Wookey Hole Caves

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wookey Hole Caves
A cliff with a cave at the base from which flows the River Axe
River Axe emerging from Wookey Hole Caves
Location Wookey Hole, Somerset, UK
OS grid ST 5319 4802
Coordinates 51°13′46″N 2°40′18″W / 51.229308°N 2.671776°W / 51.229308; -2.671776Coordinates: 51°13′46″N 2°40′18″W / 51.229308°N 2.671776°W / 51.229308; -2.671776[1]
Depth 90 metres (300 ft)
Length 3,659 metres (12,005 ft)[1]
Height variation 182 metres (597 ft)
Altitude 70 metres (230 ft)[1]
Geology Dolomitic conglomerate and limestone
Entrances 4 (incl. 1 artificial, 1 blocked)
Access Restricted
Show cave opened 1927
Lighting Electric
Pronunciation ["Wuh - ki H-ole"]
Registry MRCA [2]

Wookey Hole Caves is a show cave and tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset, England. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for both biological and geological reasons.[3]

Wookey Hole cave was formed through erosion of the limestone hills by the River Axe. Before emerging at Wookey Hole the water enters underground streams and passes through other caves such as Swildon's Hole, Eastwater Cavern and St Cuthbert's Swallet. After resurging, the waters of the River Axe are used in a handmade paper mill, the oldest extant in Britain, which began operations circa 1610, although a corn grinding mill operated there as early as 1086.[4]

The cave is noted for the Witch of Wookey Hole – a roughly human shaped rock outcrop, reputedly turned to stone by a monk from Glastonbury. It is also the site of the first cave dives in Britain. The caves, at a constant temperature of 11 °C (52 °F), have been used by humans for around 50,000 years. The low temperature means that the caves can be used for maturing Cheddar cheese.

Geology

The Mendip Hills are the most southerly Carboniferous Limestone upland in Britain. The rock strata known as the Carboniferous Limestone were laid down during the early Carboniferous period, about 320–350 million years ago.[5] Subsequently, much of northwestern Europe underwent continental collision throughout the late Paleozoic era, culminating in the final phases of the Variscan orogeny near the end of the Carboniferous period, 300 million years ago. This tectonic activity produced a complex suite of mountain and hill ranges across what is now southern Ireland, south-western England, Brittany, and elsewhere in western Europe.[6]

As a result of the Variscan mountain-building, the Mendip area now comprises at least four anticlinal fold structures, with an east-west trend, each with a core of older Devonian sandstone and Silurian volcanic rocks.[7][8] The latter are quarried for use in road construction and as a concrete aggregate.[9] The Mendips were considerably higher and steeper 200 to 300 million years ago,[10] since when weathering has resulted in a range of surface features including gorges, dry valleys, screes and swallets. These are complemented underground by a large number of caves, including Wookey Hole, both beneath the plateau and at the base of the southern escarpment.

Wookey Hole Cave is the second largest resurgence on Mendip, with an estimated catchment area of 46.2 square kilometres (17.8 sq mi),[11] and an average discharge of 789 litres (174 imp gal; 208 US gal) per second.[12] Some of the water is allogenic in origin, collecting as streams on the surface before sinking at or near the Lower Limestone Shale - Black Rock Limestone boundary and running through major cave systems such as Swildon's Hole, Eastwater Cavern and St Cuthbert's Swallet, around Priddy, [13][14] but 95% is water that has percolated directly into the limestone.[14]

The resurgence is located at the head of a short gorge formed by headward erosion with subsequent cavern collapse. It is at the base of a dolomitic conglomerate infill into a valley formed in the Permian-Triassic period. The exact origin of the outfall at this point is unclear. Balch suggested that the site predates the nearby Ebbor Gorge but was blocked by a Jurassic dam, forcing the water to emerge at Ebbor Gorge, and then returning to the current site once the dam was removed. An alternative is that the outflow at Ebbor Gorge was the original site but when this became blocked the water emerged at Wookey Hole.[15]

History

An underground lake at Wookey Hole

Witcombe suggests that the name Wookey is derived from the Celtic (Welsh) for 'cave', "Ogo" or "Ogof" which gave the early names for this cave of "Ochie" "Ochy". Hole is Anglo-Saxon for cave which is itself of Latin/Norman derivation. Therefore the name Wookey Hole Cave basically means cave cave cave.[16] Eilert Ekwall gives a derivation from the Old English "wocig" meaning a noose or snare for animals.[17]

Fossils of a range of animals have been found including the Pleistocene lion (Felis leo spelæ), Cave hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea) and Badger (Meles meles).[18]

Wookey Hole was occupied by humans in the Iron Age, possibly around 250-300 BC,[19] while nearby Hyena Cave was occupied by Stone Age hunters. Badger Hole and Rhinoceros Hole are two dry caves on the slopes above the Wookey ravine near the Wookey Hole resurgence and contain in situ cave sediments laid down during the Ice Age.[3] Just outside the cave the foundations of a 1st-century hut have been identified. These had been built on during the Roman era up to the end of the 4th century.[20]

In 1544 products of Roman lead working in the area were discovered. The lead mines across the Mendips have produced contamination of the water emerging from the underground caverns at Wookey Hole.[21] The lead in the water is believed to have affected the quality of the paper produced.[22]

The designation of the water catchment area for Wookey Hole, covering a large area of the Mendip Hills as far away as Priddy Pools as a Site of Special Scientific Interest during the 1970s and 1980s was controversial because of conflicts of interest between land owners, recreational cavers and cave scientists.[23]

Cheddar Cheeses in Wookey Hole Caves

The constant temperature of 11 °C (52 °F) provided 200 feet (61 m) underground in the caves are being used to mature Cheddar cheese from Ford Farm in Dorset.[24][25]

Cave archaeology

Archaeological investigations were undertaken from 1859 to 1874 by William Boyd Dawkins, who moved to Somerset to study classics with the vicar of Wookey. On hearing of the discovery of bones by local workmen he led excavations in the area of the hyena den. His work led to the discovery of the first evidence for the use by Palaeolithic man in the Caves of the Mendip Hills.[26]

Herbert E. Balch continued the work from 1904 to 1914,[27] where he led excavations of the entrance passage (1904–15), Witch's Kitchen (Chamber 1) and Hell's Ladder (1926–1927) and the Badger Hole (1938–1954), where Roman coins from the 3rd century were discovered along with Aurignacian flint implements.[28] The 1911 work found a 4 to 7 feet (1.2–2.1 m) of stratification, mostly dating from the Iron age and sealed into place by Romano-British artefacts. Finds included a silver coin of Marcia (124BC), pottery, weapons and tools, bronze ornaments, and Roman coins from Vespasian to Valentinian II.[29]

E. J. Mason from 1946 to 1949, and G. R. Morgan in 1972 continued the work.[30] Later work led by Edgar Kingsley Tratman (1899–1978) OBE DSc MD FSA explored the human occupation of the Rhinoceros hole,[31] and showed that the fourth chamber of the great cave was a Romano-British cemetery.[32][33]

During excavations in 1954-7 at Hole Ground, just outside the entrance to the cave, the foundations of a 1st-century hut and Iron Age pottery were seen. These were covered by the foundations of Roman buildings, dating from the 1st to the late 4th century.[34]

Exploration

Subterranean Lake at Wookey Hole

The cave as far as the Third Chamber and side galleries has always been known. Prior to the construction of a dam at the resurgence to feed water to the paper mill downstream, two more chambers (the Fourth and Fifth) were accessible. Further upstream the way on lay underwater. Diving was first tried by the Cave Diving Group under the leadership of Graham Balcombe in 1935. With equipment on loan from Siebe Gorman, he and Penelope ("Mossy") Powell penetrated 52 m (170 ft) into the cave, reaching "Chamber 7" using standard diving dress. The events marked the first successful cave dives in Britain.[35][36]

Diving at Wookey resumed in early June 1946 when Balcombe used his home-made respirator and waterproof suit to explore the region between Resurgence and First Chamber, as well as the underground course of the river between Chamber 3 and Chamber 1. During these dives, the Romano-British remains were found and archaeological work dominated the early dives in the cave. The large Ninth Chamber was first entered on 24 April 1948 by Balcombe and Don Coase. Using this as an advance dive base, the Tenth and then Eleventh Chambers were discovered. The way on, however, was too deep for divers breathing pure oxygen from a closed-circuit rebreather. The cave claimed its first life on 9 April 1949 when Gordon Marriott lost his life returning from Chamber 9.[37][38] Another fatality was to occur in 1981 when Keith Potter was drowned on a routine dive further upstream.[39][40]

Further progress required apparatus which could overcome the depth limitation of breathing pure oxygen. In 1955 using an aqualung and swimming with fins, Bob Davies reached the bottom of Chamber 11 at 15 m (49 ft) depth in clear water and discovered the 12th and 13th Chambers. Unfortunately, he got separated from his guideline and the other two divers in Chamber 11, ending up spending three hours trapped in Chamber 13 and had much trouble getting back to safety.[41] Opinion hardened against the use of the short-duration aqualung in favour of longer-duration closed-circuit equipment. Likewise, the traditional approach of walking along the bottom was preferred over swimming. Employing semi-closed circuit nitrogen-oxygen rebreathers, between 1957 and 1960 John Buxton and Oliver Wells (grandson of science fiction writer H. G. Wells) went on to reach the elbow of the sump upstream from Chamber 9 at a depth of 22 m (72 ft).[36] This was at a point known as "The Slot", the way on being too deep for the gas mixture they were breathing.

Cave diving equipment in the museum at Wookey Hole Caves

A six-year hiatus ensued while open circuit air diving became established, along with free-swimming and the use of neoprene wetsuits. The new generation of cave diver was now more mobile above- and under-water and able to dive deeper. Using this approach, Dave Savage was able to reach air surface in the 18th Chamber (Chambers did not have to have air spaces to be so named; they were the limits of each exploration) in May 1966. A brief lull in exploration occurred while the mess of guidelines laid from Chamber 9 was sorted out until John Parker progressed first to the large, dry, inlet passage of Chamber 20 and thence followed the River Axe upstream to Chamber 22 where the way on appeared to be lost.[37][42]

Meanwhile, climbing operations in Chamber 9 found an abandoned outlet passage which terminated very close to the surface, as well as a dry overland route downstream through the higher levels of Chambers 8 to 6 as far as Chamber 5. These discoveries were used to enable the show cave to be extended into Chamber 9 and the cave divers to start directly from here, bypassing the dive from Chamber 3 onwards.[43] In 1976 Geoff Yeadon and Oliver Statham reached chamber 24.[44]

Chamber 25 represents the furthest upstream air surface in Wookey Hole Cave. From here the River Axe rises up from a deep sump where progressive depth records for cave diving in the British Isles have been set: firstly by Farr (45 m or 148 ft) in 1977, then Rob Parker (68 m or 223 ft) in 1985, and finally by John Volanthen and Rick Stanton (76 m or 249 ft) in 2004.[45][46] The pair returned again in 2005 to explore the sump to a depth of 90 m (300 ft), setting a new British Isles depth record for cave diving.[42] This record was broken in 2008 by Polish explorer Artur Kozłowski on a dive in Pollatoomary in Ireland.[47]

During 1996–1997 water samples were collected at various points throughout the caves and showed different chemical compositions. Results showed that the location of the "Unknown Junction", from where water flows to the Static Sump in Chamber 22 by a different route from the majority of the River Axe, is upstream of Sump 25.[48]

Witch of Wookey Hole

Skeleton in Wells and Mendip Museum labelled as the Witch of Wookey Hole

There are old legends of a "witch of Wookey Hole", which are still preserved in the name of a stalagmite in the first chamber of the caves. The story has several different versions with the same basic features:

A man from Glastonbury is betrothed to a girl from Wookey. A witch living in Wookey Hole Caves curses the romance so that it fails. The man, now a monk, seeks revenge on this witch who—having been jilted herself—frequently spoils budding relationships. The monk stalks the witch into the cave and she hides in a dark corner near one of the underground rivers. The monk blesses the water and splashes some of it at the dark parts of the cave. Catching the witch off guard, the monk splashes the water at the dark corner she is hiding in. The blessed water immediately petrifies the witch, and she remains in the cave to this day.[49][50]

A 1000 year-old skeleton of a woman was discovered in the caves by Balch in 1912, and has also traditionally been linked to the legendary witch. The remains have been part of the collection of the Wells and Mendip Museum, which was founded by Balch, since they were excavated, though in 2004 the owner of the Caves said that he wanted them to be returned to Wookey Hole.[51]

It was partly down to the legend of the witch that prompted TV's Most Haunted team to visit Wookey Hole Caves and Mill to explore the location in depth, searching for evidence of paranormal activity. The show, which aired on 10 March 2009, was the last episode transmitted in series eleven of the show's run on the satellite and cable TV channel Living.[52] In 2009 a new 'witch' was chosen by Wookey Hole Ltd amid much media interest. Carole Bohanan in the role of Carla Calamity was selected ahead of over 3,000 other applicants.[53][54]

Tourism

Early Penny arcade machine at Wookey Hole

The cave was first opened to the public by the owner Captain G.W. Hodgkinson in 1927 following preparatory work by Balch.[55]

The current paper mill building, whose water wheel is powered by a small canal from the river, dates from around 1860 and is a Grade II-listed building.[56] The production of handmade paper ceased in February 2008 after owner Gerry Cottle concluded there was no longer a market for the product, and therefore sold most of the historic machinery. Visitors to the site are still able to watch a short video of the paper being made from cotton. Other attractions include the dinosaur yard, a small museum about the cave and cave diving, a theatre with circus shows, House of mirrors and Penny arcades.

In 1956, Olive Hodgkinson, a cave guide whose husband's family owned the caves for over 500 years, was a contestant on What's My Line?[57]

The cave and mill were joined, after purchase, by Madame Tussauds in 1973 and operated together as a tourist attraction until there was a management team buyout in 1989.[58][59] A collection of fairground art of Wookey Hole was sold in 1997 at Christie's.[60][61] The present owner is the former circus proprietor Gerry Cottle,[62] who has introduced a circus school.[63]

Paper mill

The cave was used for the filming of episodes of the BBC TV series Doctor Who: the serial Revenge of the Cybermen (1975) starring Tom Baker.[64][65] This has since been referenced in the comedy of The League of Gentlemen. The cave was also used in the filming of the British series "Blake's 7" (1978) and "Robin of Sherwood" (1983).[66][67] The caves were used again for Doctor Who in The End of Time (2009),[68] including a scene with the Doctor sharing thoughts and visions with the Ood.

On 1 August 2006, CNN reported that Barney, a Doberman Pinscher employed as a security dog at Wookey Hole, had destroyed parts of a valuable collection of teddy bears, including one which had belonged to Elvis Presley, which was estimated to be worth $75,000. The insurance company insuring the exhibition of stuffed animals had insisted on having guard dog protection.[69]

In February 2009 Cottle turned the Victorian bowling green next to the caves into a crazy golf course without first obtaining planning permission.[70]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 mcra.
  2. ↑ "Wookey Hole". Mendip Cave Registry. Mendip Cave Registry and Archive. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Wookey Hole". SSSI citation. English Nature. Retrieved 20 November 2008. 
  4. ↑ "Hand-made Paper Mill". Wookey Hole Caves. Retrieved 3 December 2013. 
  5. ↑ Faulkner 1989, pp. 93-106.
  6. ↑ "GCR block — Variscan Structures of South-West England". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 5 March 2010. 
  7. ↑ Kellaway 1948, pp. 7, 10–11, 16 & 34–38.
  8. ↑ Haslett 2010, pp. 25-28.
  9. ↑ "Mendip Hills Natural Area profile" (PDF). English Nature. January 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 30 November 2011. 
  10. ↑ Barrington 1977, p. 215.
  11. ↑ drew, p. 200.
  12. ↑ drew, p. 191.
  13. ↑ Waltham, A.C. Karst and Caves of Great Britain. Chapman & Hall. p. 199. ISBN 0-412-78860-8. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 drew, p. 209.
  15. ↑ Simth 1975, pp. 285-290.
  16. ↑ Witcombe 2009, p. 202.
  17. ↑ Ekwall 1964, p. 532.
  18. ↑ Page 1906.
  19. ↑ Smith 1975, p. 381.
  20. ↑ "Prehistoric and Roman occupation, Hole Ground, Wookey Hole". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 9 December 2013. 
  21. ↑ Macklin 1985, pp. 235-244.
  22. ↑ Gough 1967.
  23. ↑ Gunn 1996, pp. 121-127.
  24. ↑ "Cave-aged cheese". Wookey Hole Caves. Retrieved 3 December 2013. 
  25. ↑ "Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar wins awards for Dorset based Ford Farm". Blackmore Vale Magazine. Retrieved 3 December 2013. 
  26. ↑ Ramsay 1878, p. 474.
  27. ↑ "A Potted History of H. E. Balch 1869–1958". Bristol Exploration Club. Retrieved 29 December 2013. 
  28. ↑ "Badger Hole cave, Wookey Hole". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 21 September 2008. 
  29. ↑ "Wookey Hole Cave, Wookey Hole". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 21 September 2008. 
  30. ↑ "Hyena Cave, Wookey Hole". Hominid bearing caves in the south west. Retrieved 23 February 2007. 
  31. ↑ White 2011, pp. 25-97.
  32. ↑ Hawkes 1979, pp. 23-52.
  33. ↑ Proctor 1996, pp. 237-262.
  34. ↑ "Prehistoric and Roman occupation, Hole Ground, Wookey Hole". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 21 September 2008. 
  35. ↑ "UK Caves Database". Retrieved 23 February 2007. 
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Buxton, John S. "The Cave Diving Group". CDG. Retrieved 28 September 2008. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Farr, Martyn. "60 years in a cave". Divernet. Retrieved 17 November 2013. 
  38. ↑ "A Century of British Caving". Craven Pothole Club. Retrieved 17 November 2013. 
  39. ↑ Rose, Dave. "Keith Potter". Proceedings 10 : "Pozu del Xitu". Oxford University Cave Club. Retrieved 17 November 2013. 
  40. ↑ "Cave Rescues and Incidents for the Year ending 31 December. 1981". Belfry Bulletin. 410/411. June/July 1982. 
  41. ↑ "CDG History 1950–1959". Cave Diving Group. Retrieved 12 July 2012. 
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Hanwell 2010.
  43. ↑ "Cathedral Cave". Wookey Hole Caves. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  44. ↑ "History 1970–1979". Cave Diving Group. Retrieved 3 February 2014. 
  45. ↑ "Divers head for new depth record". BBC. 30 September 2004. Retrieved 10 November 2008. 
  46. ↑ "Rick Stanton". Diver Net. Retrieved 9 December 2013. 
  47. ↑ Gallagher, Emer (16 July 2008). "Explorer plunges to new depths in Mayo". Mayo News. Retrieved 21 September 2011. 
  48. ↑ Chapman 1999, pp. 107-113.
  49. ↑ Leete-Hodge 1985, p. 25.
  50. ↑ "The Wookey Hole Witch". This is Bristol. Retrieved 1 March 2008. 
  51. ↑ "Row breaks out over cave bones". BBC News. 5 June 2004. Retrieved 17 November 2013. 
  52. ↑ "Wookey Hole". Most Haunted. TV.com. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  53. ↑ "New Witch for Wookey Hole". Witchology.com. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009. 
  54. ↑ "Wicked! With spellbinding charm, estate agent wins £50,000 job as Wookey Hole witch". Daily Mail. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2013. 
  55. ↑ Balch 1928, pp. 193-210.
  56. ↑ "Wookey Hole Paper Mill". Images of England. Retrieved 23 February 2007. 
  57. ↑ "What's My Line? Season 8 Episode 12". TV.com. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  58. ↑ Scott, Andy (2 February 2006). "Historic mill revamps its handmade grades". Print Week. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  59. ↑ "Chronology". Madam Tussauds. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  60. ↑ Wolf, Matt (5 October 1997). "A Folk Art Menagerie Of Carnival Castoffs". New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  61. ↑ Moyes, Jojo (6 October 1997). "Roll up to buy artistic fairground attractions". Independent. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  62. ↑ "Wookey Hole Caves". Retrieved 29 December 2013. 
  63. ↑ "Turbo-charged entertainment for lovers of circus". Western Daily Press. Retrieved 29 December 2013. 
  64. ↑ "Revenge Of The Cybermen". A brief history of time (travel). Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  65. ↑ "Doctor Who in Somerset". Art, Films and Television. BBC. Retrieved 9 December 2013. 
  66. ↑ "Filming Locations". Hermit.org. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  67. ↑ "Wookey Hole Caves, Somerset". Robin of Sherwood. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  68. ↑ "Police called as caves witness end of time for tenth Doctor". This is Somerset. Retrieved 24 November 2013. 
  69. ↑ "Elvis' teddy bear leaves building the hard way: Guard dog rips head off Presley's $75,000 toy in stuffed-animal rampage". Associated Press. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 28 August 2007. "'He just went berserk', said Daniel Medley, general manager of Wookey Hole Caves near Wells, England, where hundreds of bears were chewed up Tuesday night by the six-year-old Doberman Pinscher named Barney. A security guard at the museum, Greg West, said he spent several minutes chasing Barney before wrestling the dog to the ground." 
  70. ↑ "Pirate ship sails into Wookey Hole Caves crazy golf row". Bristol Evening Post (This is Bristol). 13 February 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2009. 

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wookey Hole Caves.
Summary
SSSIs
Neighbouring areas
  • Avon
  • Devon
  • Dorset
  • Wiltshire
Neighbouring areas
Avon
Devon
Dorset
Wiltshire

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.