The
Exploration Club, The Belfry,
Road
Editor: Nick Harding
Contents
- 1 Committee Members
- 2
- 3 A Hearty Hello From Your New Editor.
- 4
- 5 Panama
- 6 Rose Cottage Cave – Discoveries in Fis Ole and A1 Digs and the Exploration of Prancers Pride
- 7
- 8 The Search For Hutton Cavern
- 9
- 10 Pete Glanvilles 55th Birthday!
- 11
- 12 Miscellany
- 13
- 14 Letter(s) to the Editor
- 15
- 16 From The Belfry Table
- 17
- 18 From The Web:
- 19
- 20 BEC Website and Newsletter
- 21
- 22 How Your Belfry Bulletin Is Put Together
- 23
- 24 Hollow Hills
Committee Members
Secretary: Nigel Taylor (722)
Joint Treasurers: Mike Wilson (1130)
Membership Secretary: Brenda Wilton (568)
Caving Secretary: Rob Lavington (1306)
Hut Warden / Hut Bookings: Roger Haskett (1234)
Tackle Officer: Tyrone Bevan (1276)
Non-Committee Posts
Acting Editor: Nick Harding
(1289)
BEC Web Page Editor: Henry Bennett (1079)
Librarian : Graham Johnson (aka- Jake) (1111)
Club Trustees: Martin Grass, Dave
Irwin, Nigel Taylor and
Cover image: The
cover shows a cross section and a description (as published in Rutter and Phelps)
of various points of interest in the Lost Cave of Hutton. In Catcotts Treatise
on the Deluge, he states that he, with a few friends, descended into a cavern
90 feet deep. Due to the profusion of bones he described the place as being
like a charnel house.
A Hearty Hello From Your New Editor.
Sitting quietly in the Hunters one afternoon, near the
groat-sliding* board (or is it slide-groat? I was told but swiftly forgot),
observing a game being played by a group of freshly spelunked Belgians, I
lifted my near empty pot to see, through its smeary glass bottom the
press-gang, a swarthy looking bunch at the best of times, lurking in the corner
of the tavern. It was clear there was only one thing on their collective minds
they were after an editor. I had been earlier warned (or is that warned
earlier? and they wanted me to do this job!), along with the speculative use
of crude emotional blackmail, by a certain individual (Rowsell! for it was he)
that members of her majestys Belfry militia had already singled me out for the
role, due in part to my reckless historical pamphleteering. While trying to
flee I was unable to avoid their rough manner and was hit rudely about the
skull and shackled to the duty. The following morning I awoke with a thick head
and a freshly sharpened quill crudely stapled to my right hand. One day the law
may change and writers will be able to go about their business freely and in
good spirits but until then I take it as a signal honour to become the new
master of words at the BEC
or so it says here.
The Belfry Militia in action.
If you have articles or anything that might be remotely of
interest to the caving world for inclusion in this esteemed organ please send
to editor@bec-cave.org.uk
Your Editor.
* Goat-sliding would be more fun, surely
Panama
By James Cobbett, Helen
Harper, Rob Harper and Stuart McManus
INTRODUCTION
In late February and early March of 2005 a group of three
cavers from
British caver based in
spent approximately two weeks exploring the caves on the Bocas del Toro islands
on the Caribbean coast in the
the
Although there is a lot of limestone in
cave-bearing there is very little recorded cave exploration.
PERSONNEL
|
NAME |
BASED IN |
CAVING CLUB |
|
James Cobbett |
|
|
|
Stuart McManus |
Priddy, |
None |
|
Helen Harper |
Wells, |
|
|
Rob Harper |
Wells, |
|
GEOLOGY & GEOGRAPHY
As none of the party would admit to either geological or
geographical training a subjective description only is given.
On both Bastimentos and Colόn the centres of the islands
rise to about 50-70m of elevation and are surrounded by wide areas of level
ground only a few metres above sea level. The central portions are mainly
covered with rainforest and much of the low-lying area is marsh and mangrove
swamp. Around areas of habitation the land is cleared for farming and there is
considerable evidence of increasing development for the tourist industry.
All of the caves explored were developed in horizontally
bedded bands of caliza a coralline limestone that is present over large areas
and used by the locals to make cement and possibly as aggregate. This is a very
friable stone and seems to be interspersed with layers of petrified mud/clay
which is extremely slippery: both of these rocks are very fragile.
There is a high annual rainfall in the area and cave
development is very common; most of the cave passages are only a few metres
below ground level. At higher elevations there is evidence of massive older
collapsed systems with short lengths of very large dry passages often choked
with mud or stalagmite formations. The caves at a lower level are usually
horizontal active streamways with frequent collapses from the surface. The
presence of numerous cenotes and large inactive, at least at the time of our
visit in the dry season, resurgence pools would suggest the presence of
extensive sub-water table development.
CAVE EXPLORATION & DESCRIPTION
Isla Colόn
A. La Gruta and associated
caves
1. La Gruta this is a well-known show cave on the
island and the upstream, and probably downstream sections are well known to
local cavers.
Access A short
taxi ride from Bocas to a sign for La Gruta and then a 300m walk along a
paved trail to a stream marked by religious icons, a lectern and a series of
banked pews. Upstream from here the water resurges from a large cave entrance
and following the stream downriver over a small dam leads to a further large
entrance after approximately 100m.
Description:
Upstream This has been adequately
described previously by Keith Christenson to wit
The cave consists of a horizontal active stream passage, divided up
into four separate parts. The main
entrance is large and of walking height, and opens into the largest known
passage in Bocas. However, this passage
is only 94m long, coming out into a karst window. The next cave section is just 7m long, and
then the final section is 204m of mostly walking height stream cave with
occasional pools.
Downstream the cave consists of
walking and wading in the streamway through three cave sections to emerge in a
small valley. The stream from the cave is a tributary to the stream flowing
down this valley, (see below). The first of the downstream sections was
surveyed by Maurice Thomas and Jorge Pino in 2002.
2. Cenotes, Mac & Cobbetts Cave, Rob
& Helens Cave
Once out of downstream La Gruta the valley can be followed
upwards to multiple sites – as the locals seemed unaware of these egos were
given full rein when naming the entrances.
Access the
valley can be accessed by following the road beyond the sign to La Gruta for
approximately 500m to a series of culverts carrying a stream under the road and
then river-walking upstream for about 500m but by far the easiest access is to
go through downstream La Gruta.
a. Cenotes Just upstream of the lower
entrance of La Gruta the valley divides and several cenotes, (open water-filled
pits), up to 5m diameter and short low sections of crawling cave, (up to 15m in
active streamways with upstream and downstream sumps), can be found. These are
almost certainly part of the same system and there may be a large sub-water
table cave.
b. Mac & Cobbetts Cave In the
right fork of the valley 60m from the downstream entrance of La Gruta on a
bearing of 022.5 deg, (UTM: 17P 0360148 1038857). 80m of straight passage just
under the surface with several skylights ending in rising passage with a
rabbit sized exit hole to the surface.
c. Rob & Helens Cave The
resurgence for the stream in the right fork of the valley. Located by following
the stream to a large patch of dense undergrowth, (UTM: 17P 0360215 1039057).
From the entrance above the active resurgence a short section of muddy walking
rift passage leads to 100m of alternating flood overflow and active streamway
with an area of roof collapse at about the halfway point. The passage varies
from hands-and-knees crawling to walking passage and ends at a junction. To the
left 20m of crawling in water in the active streamway leads to a lowish, (1m
high 2m wide) passage not pushed to a conclusion and to the right leads to a
similar sized flood overflow passage ending at a stal blockage beyond which the
passage could be seen to continue.
d.
50m from the lower entrance of La Gruta on a bearing of approximately
028.0deg is an obvious large tree on the slope just below the crest of the
ridge. A small entrance between the roots leads into a muddy chamber with a
steep mud slope below. This was not pushed to a conclusion but probably links
with the top end of Mac & Cobbetts Cave
e.
Downstream from the bottom end of La Gruta the valley can be followed to the
main road. Approximately 500m downstream of the road the stream sinks and just
beyond this a small cave, (position not fixed), on the left bank was pushed as
a flat out crawl in water, sharp rocks and flood debris for at least 15m by an
heroic individual egged on by the cries of his companion at the entrance. The
passage continued beyond in a similar fashion.
3. Other sites : –
a. Cenotes – By following the road beyond
the La Gruta turn-off for about 1km another dry valley enters on the right hand
side. In the floor of this are a number of cenotes 1-2m in diameter. (UTM: 17P 0357966 1039752).
b. Un-named Cave On the opposite side of
road from the track to the other cenotes is a small cave. (UTM: 17P 0357857
1039698).
B. Wysiwyg and associated
caves
A series of caves which were probably once part of a very
large system.
Access From the
roadside sign for La Gruta a poorly defined track, the old military road, can
be followed almost due north through cleared fields with occasional patches of
deep mud for approximately 3km of hard walking to the edge of the jungle. A
local guide and/or a GPS locator would be advisable.
1. Wysiwyg, (What you see is what you get),
Cave
An impressive entrance chamber in the wall of a small doline
is sand and mud-floored with a deep blind pit in the floor. Contouring around
the edge of the pit allows access to a low slot to leading to a ledge on the
wall of a second large and well-decorated steeply sloping chamber with no ways
on.
2.
a. Doline 1– approximately 80m due west of
entrances
(i) East Wall small rift leads after a few metres
to a short narrow canal sumped at both ends.
(ii)
West
to a static sump.
(iii) West Wall low crawl leads to a junction after
approximately 2m. To the left low passages soon become too tight and to the
right the passage enlarges to a large deep pool. Swimming across the pool and
under an arch allows access to a chamber completely floored with deep water at
the far side of which the passage continues underwater and almost certainly
connects with the sump in the
West
(iv) South West Wall about 60m of large mud-floored
walking passage with two avens to daylight leads to Doline 2
b. Doline 2– approximately 60m south west
of Doline 1 is a second doline with 2 entrances.
(v) East Wall other end of the South West Wall
cave in Doline 1.
(vi) West Wall From the large entrance,
approximately 5x3m, a large muddy passage slopes steeply down to the left to
end at after about 15m. 5m before the end of the chamber on the left side a 4m
crawl in thick mud leads to another large chamber with several blind pits in
floor which contain bad air. Straight ahead at the entrance a steep climb for 3
to 4m over a large boulder leads to a third doline.
3.
a.
From the west side of the third
doline a large entrance leads to a boulder floored steep slope down to a large,
(30 x 8 x 6m), flat sand and mud-floored chamber with archaeological artifacts.
Along the north wall of the chamber is a narrow trench containing an active
stream. Upstream leads via walking and stooping passage to two sumps after
approximately 60m. At the west end of the entrance chamber is a steep slope up
to an entrance in a fourth doline and downstream from here a high rift passage
with a clean rock and gravel floor leads to a lower entrance after about 150m.
A small passage in the left wall at a widening of the passage quickly becomes
too tight. A small cayman, (2m long), was seen in one of the pools in this
cave.
b.
From the lower entrance of
ravine for about 100m and then enters a short section of large clean washed
rift passage. After 20m another entrance is reached and the stream joins the
Rio Mimitimbi which is the main river draining the interior of Isla Colόn and
runs due North from its resurgence,(see below), to the sea.
D.
Flood Overflow
Access although
the river could be accessed via the
follow the main road beyond the La Gruta turnoff towards Drago for about 5km to
where a track is seen on the right opposite a small farm. From here 45 minutes
of walking reaches the river at a small ford, (UTM: 17P 0359497 1042534). A
local guide is advisable.
Upstream an hour of walking, wading and swimming is needed
to reach the bottom entrance of
1.
A short walk downstream from the
ford leads to the beach where two short caves were noted.
2.
Downstream of the ford and at
several points on the upstream walk the river passes through short sections of
very large, 10x10m, cave passage up to 30m in length.
3. Resurgence pool
At about the halfway point
between the ford and the entrance to
there is a large tributary entering on the true right hand side of the stream.
At the time of this trip this was a dry streambed leading after 10m to a large,
8x8m, static sump pool from which a large passage could be seen continuing
underwater.
4.
Approximately 90m upstream of the
entrance to
is an 80m section of cave passage leading to a classic karst pavement floored
valley which obviously takes a lot of water in times of flood.
5. Main Resurgence
A further 110m above the
resurges through boulders at one point via a 5m diameter pool. A brief
reconnaissance failed to reveal any negotiable cave passage.
Isla Bastimentos
A. Nibidá and associated
caves.
Previous exploration of the area around the head of a small
creek at the top of the Bahía Honda by Keith Christenson and Matt Lachniet
aided by local cavers in 2002 had revealed three reasonably sizeable active
cave systems Nibidá, Cueva Domingo and Ol Bank Underworld of which Nibidá
and OBU had not been pushed to a conclusion.
Access: The caves
are located in a National Park and it is possible that a permit may be required
to visit although nothing seemed to be required during this visit. From
Bastimentos town a boat trip of about half-an-hour across the Bahía Honda and
then up a narrow tidal creek through the mangrove swamps reaches a very small
jetty. Because of the confusing nature and, to an untrained eye, the identical
nature of all the small creeks a local guide is advisable. Once at the jetty
150m of walking along an obvious track leads to a clearing with the house of
the warden one Domingo Villagra, (pronounced Viagra and therefore the source
of much amusement!). Leaving the clearing, 100 to 150m of easy walking along a
muddy track gains a footbridge over a small stream, the stream from Nibidá,
following this upstream for 40m leads to the large resurgence entrance of
Nibidá at the base of a small cliff.
1. Nibidá
UTM 17P 374660 1028661- Datum NAD87 Christenson 2002
The cave was originally explored in 2002 was well described
by Keith Christenson
The cave consists of
a horizontal active stream passage. The
upstream ends at a divable sump which should provide a way on to connect with
Ol’ Bank Underworld. The downstream end
is a resurgence, and the main entrance. The only major side lead is an
infeeder, which enters the cave after coming down a series of waterfalls and
pools (swimming required). The cave
continues upstream unexplored beyond an unclimbable waterfall a mere 2m high
(but you must start the climb while swimming in a 4m deep pool).
The 2005 trip was able to extend the cave
a. Upstream
end the diveable sump mentioned above was found to be a low airspace section
approximately 2m in length into a high rift carrying the stream passage varying
between 2 and 6m in width and up to 8m in height, which could be followed for
about 750m passing at least one skylight en route. At the upstream end the cave
emerged into daylight at a section of collapsed passage/doline at the far side
of which it could be followed through several other sections of collapse as a
slightly smaller passage to end at a large doline with multiple cave entrances
none of which were pushed to a conclusion.
b. Wham
Bamboo Inlet the terminal waterfall of the infeeder passage mentioned above
was climbed using artificial aids, a bamboo pole and ladder across the pool
after attempts to climb it had it had failed miserably and aqueously, to gain
130m of small rifts and short climbs to an upper entrance. Another short
through cave was found by following the water upstream.
Subsequent calculations have shown that this is currently the
longest surveyed cave in
2. Cueva Domingo
UTM 17P 374635 1028643 – Datum NAD87 Christenson 2002
Named after Domingo Villagra this cave is situated the base
of the cliff approximately 50m to the South West of Nibidá. The 2002 part
examined the bulk of this system
The cave consists of
a horizontal active stream passage. The
upstream ends at a divable sump, which should provide a way on to considerable
passage. The downstream end is a resurgence,
and the main entrance.
The 2005 trip passed an intimidating duck at the upstream
end only to be stopped by a true sump just beyond.
3. Ol Bank
Underworld
UTM 17P 375098 1028335 – Datum NAD87 Christenson 2002
By climbing the cliff above Nibidá and walking approximately
500-600m to the south-east a rift entrance is found in the jungle a local
guide is strongly advised.
The 2002 description of the cave is
The cave consists of
a winding, active stream passage with mostly solid, scoured limestone
walls,
ceiling and floor. Downstream ends at a
divable sump, which should connect to the upstream sump in Nibidá after
some
200m of expected walking passage between the sumps. The upstream end
of the cave exploration ends
with streams coming in from several directions, none of which were
followed to
an end, and all are open and going. The
general character in the upstream area is lower and muddier. From the
main
passage, two large side passages take off. Both are roughly 3m higher
than the floor of the main passage. The passage further upstream is an
infeeder
during high-water events, and goes several hundred meters to a sinkhole
entrance. This sinkhole can be passed
and the cave continues as a muddy belly crawl which was not explored to
an end. The further downstream passage pirates water
during high-water events, and goes a couple hundred meters to a
groundwater
sump/pool. This pool is divable, and
could possibly provide a way to connect to Domingo’s Cave. The water
appears to have no flow, and zero
visibility could be a problem for diving here.
During a brief visit the 2005 party found no further
extensions but it is obvious from the finds in Nibidá that the downstream sump
in OBU does not connect with this cave and but may instead may connect to the
upstream sump in Domingos.
Note: Ol Bank is
the name given by the locals to Isla Bastimentos
4. Un-named shaft
A short shaft entrance was noted by two members of the
party, SM & JC, near Cueva Domingo with passage leading off from the bottom
but was not entered owing to lack of time and tackle.
B. Cedar Creek etc
Some time was spent investigating the area around Cedar
Creek, (UTM 17P 0377311 1027000), on the southern coast of
Bastimentos
collapses were found.
Isla Popa
Intriguingly the marine charts for this island and the local
inhabitants mention a coal mine, which would suggest the possibility of
limestone as well, but no caves appear to be known to the locals and nothing
was found on a short reconnaissance trip by James Cobbett.
Peninsula Valiente
Two members of the party, JC and SM, spent about half a day
exploring this area on the south east border of the Bocas area. However no
limestone could be found and none of the locals knew of any caves in the area.
SURVEY NOTES
1. Grade
3 sections: all measurements were taken using a 30m fibron tape read to the
nearest centimetre, a Suunto Compass read to approximately one degree and a
Suunto clinometer read to the nearest percent. The resulting data was recorded
immediately.
2. Grade
1 sections: distances and angles were estimated whilst in the cave and sketches
recorded immediately after exiting the cave.
The raw data was processed on a computer using COMPASS software to produce a
centre-line and a computer generated passage outline. This was then imported
into CorelDraw and the final survey drawn.
3. GPS
readings were taken with a handheld Garmin E-trex Vista GPS receiver and,
unless otherwise stated, the local datum NAD27 (
was used. Unfortunately neither the exact time of the readings or the degree of
confidence were recorded in every case.
EQUIPMENT
Individual
All of the members of the party
had considerable experience of tropical caving and the problems involved and
made their individual choices accordingly. Clothing consisted of either T-shirt
and light tracksuit trousers, (Ron Hill Tracksters), or underwear covered with
a light oversuit. Owing to the nature of the rock and the vicissitudes of
jungle-walking heavy gloves were deemed essential.
Petzl helmets of varying vintages
were worn underground and illumination provided by a variety of Petzl
LED/halogen combinations of which the Duo seemed to prove the most reliable.
Group
Group equipment consisted of a
10m electron ladder, two sets of SRT equipment and a 30m static rope and some
slings.
The ladder and slings were used
in conjunction with an ad-hoc bamboo maypole to scale a 2m cascade and the rope
was used once for security on a longish swim and to descend a steep-sided
doline.
TRAVEL & ACCOMODATION
to
The
based members of the team flew to
on Delta Airlines via a short stopover in
The total journey time was about 16 hours and the cost approximately £565:00
pp.
After an overnight stay in JCs
house in
the party traveled onto Bocas del Toro.
Although the roads in
relatively good by the standards of the region they are also few in number.
Furthermore driving to Bocas del Toro, which takes about 10 hours of driving,
involves a ferry crossing the logistics of which might have entailed an
overnight stop. Therefore the party flew from
approximately three times daily and take about an hour. The flight cost was US$
61.00pp but carrying caving gear incurred an excess baggage charge of US$
0.50/lb, (note the baggage allowance on these flights is only 20 pounds NOT
kilos).
Bocas to Caves
Accommodation in Bocas was on a
yacht moored in the marina; there are many cheap water taxis for travel to the
individual islands and then standard four-wheel drive taxis were hired to get
around on land.
For journeys to the caves on
Bastimentos and reconnaissance trips around the island a fast boat and driver
were hired for the day. The cost varying between US$30.00 and US$90.00
depending on the distance, the number of drivers/guides and the amount of beer
carried/consumed.
MEDICAL REPORT
Medical Kit
A small medical kit was taken to
cope with minor incidents. Since none of the caves were remote and
reasonable health service it was not felt necessary to take extensive medical
supplies.
Those members of the party
already on medication were expected to provide for themselves.
Incidents
- Small
wounds the sharp and slippery nature of the rock in the caves meant that
several members of the party had abrasions and cuts from minor falls which
were treated with local hygiene and on one occasion topical antibacterial
ointment, (Fucidin).
- Strains/sprains
muscular and joint pains were managed with oral nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs, (diclofenac and ibuprofen).
- Diffenbachia
the Diffenbachia plant grows extensively in the forest and direct
contact with naked skin causes a marked irritation. A peculiar hazard for
cavers is mud that contains high levels of remnants of these plants at a
microscopic or near-microscopic level and impregnation of clothing with
this mud can lead to a severe burning sensation. Fortunately this is not a
long-term phenomenon and can be alleviated by stripping off and washing
both clothing and body in clean water.
- Insect
bites/stings all of the party suffered from these although none
necessitated specific treatment.
- Seasickness
one member of the party, (HH), suffered from seasickness, which was
quickly ameliorated with oral Dramamine
Malarial
Prophylaxis
Most of Panama is considered to
be free of malaria however there is a risk in the Bocas del Toro and those
members of the party from UK elected to use doxycline, (100mg. / person / day),
as a prophylactic measure.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
James & Marilyn Cobbett
for their hospitality and Marilyn in particular for her tremendous forbearance
and good humour when we turned her home and the beautiful yacht into makeshift
caving huts.
Keith Christenson for his
unselfish generosity in sharing his data with us.
Oscar and Alvaro Powell for
help with guiding and arranging transport on Isla Bastimentos
Gordon and Loreen MacMillan on
Isla Colόn for help with guiding plus permission to tramp all over their land.
CONCLUSION
This trip explored and surveyed over a mile of cave with
little difficulty. The cave passages themselves were spectacular being large,
aquatic and well-decorated if, unfortunately, not of any great length. Although
it is unlikely that a world ranking cave will be found in the area there is
potential for more similar systems to be found either by river-walking or
jungle-bashing ideally with local guidance.
The horizontal nature of all these caves allied to their
proximity to the water-table and termination in large sumps might suggest the
existence of extensive flooded systems and there are anecdotal reports of blue
holes off the coast of
further expedition involving cave-divers is planned in early 2006
Appendix 1 Cave Lengths
|
CAVE NAME |
LENGTH 2002 |
LENGTH 2005 |
TOTAL |
|
La |
305m |
164m |
469m |
|
Mac |
0 |
80m (est) |
80m |
|
Rob |
0 |
120m (est) |
120m |
|
|
0 |
25m (est) |
25m |
|
Doline |
0 |
6m (est) |
6m |
|
Doline 1 (ii) |
0 |
20m (est) |
20m |
|
Doline 1 (iii) |
0 |
35m (est) |
35m |
|
Doline 1 (iv) |
0 |
60m (est) |
60m |
|
Doline |
0 |
70m (est) |
70m |
|
Cayman |
0 |
307m |
307m |
|
|
0 |
80m (est) |
80m |
|
Nibidá |
443m |
955m |
1398m |
|
Cueva |
266m |
10m (est) |
276m |
|
Ol |
1146m |
0 |
1146m |
Appendix 2 Surveys
Rose Cottage
Cave
– Discoveries in Fis Ole and A1 Digs
and the Exploration of Prancers Pride
– Discoveries in Fis Ole and A1 Digs
and the Exploration of Prancers Pride
By Tony Jarratt
Continuing the saga from BBs 522 and 523.
First you must conceive that the Earth
is everywhere full of windy
caves, and bears in its bosom a multitude of fissures and gulfs and beetling,
precipitous crags. You must also picture that under the Earths back, many
buried rivers with torrential force roll their waters mingled with sunken
rocks.
Lucretius; The Nature
of the Universe.
Further Digging 9/10/05 26/1/06
Six digging trips between the 9th and 16th October resulted
in many bags of clay, gravel and sandstone cobbles being removed from the Fis
Ole dig resulting in a gently descending phreatic passage running above the
decorated chamber of Aglarond 2. The writer, fearing mutiny in the team, was
much relieved that his theory of ongoing passage beyond the blank wall in
this dig had been verified. The 10th was noted as the 1st Anniversary of
digging at Rose Cottage but the lure of the laid down bottle of
was resisted.
Unseasonal warm weather on the 17th gave an excuse for Rich
W. and the writer to lay a floodwater pipe below the spoil heap and generally
tidy up on the surface. 31 loads came out to the heap between the 19th and 26th
when three sessions of dig enlargement took place. This continued on the 30th
and 31st October and 2nd November. Anne Pugh (ITV West) and caving cameraman
Gavin Newman visited to assess the site for a projected Secret Underground TV
documentary.
A major bag-hauling session occurred on 6th November with a
solo digging trip next day when the writer broke into a low airspace some five
metres into the dig as predicted. Squalor was now the order of the day
following heavy autumn rains causing annoying drips and trickles throughout the
cave and once again proving that the BEC curse of the Reverse Midas Touch is
still operative! The 9th also saw a good attendance with seven good men and
true removing almost all of the full bags from the depths and stacking them in
30 heavy skiploads even reached the surface! The Obscene Publications Act
forbids the writer to record in print Jake B.s comments on his hauling stance
in the Corkscrew. Work continued on the 13th with many bags filled and much
more spoil backfilled into the original Fis Ole. A four shothole charge was
fired at the end and the resulting large amount of broken rock cleared next day
the nearby dump being completely filled. Much of the annoying puddle was
bailed into plastic drums but enough was left to make the wet-suited Fi and
John N. thankful for their choice of apparel! The writer, in dry grots, opted
to pull skips before venturing to the chamber at the end of the A1 Dig above
(first entered by John on 27th July) where visual contact was made with John
who was immersed in the slime below and who later pioneered yet another round
trip in this sporting little cave. While tidying up the A1 terminal chamber
the writer noticed a void in the boulders ahead and after much awkward digging
and rearrangement of unwieldy rocks was able to squeeze through into some 5m of
unstable passage continuing the line of the dig and above the presumed route
of Fis Ole Dig. A dodgy looking hole at the end will almost certainly give
access to the lower passage (Prancers Pride see later) at a future date. All
of the cave beyond Mt. Hindrance Lane would appear to be one great, sloping
fault plane with the upper part composed of an enormous and lengthy boulder
choke on the SW side. The lowest levels are washed free of infill and well
decorated and the middle level still choked by ancient stream debris but the
safest and least damaging option for extending the cave. Ben O. braved the now
much deeper puddle on the 16th and filled a dozen skips with wet spoil which
Pete H, Sean H. and Henry B. bagged up and hauled out to Aglarond 1. In drier
but freezing conditions above Phil C. and the writer hauled 23 loads to
surface.
Assisted by three able Sheffield Uni. cavers, Henry Rockliff
and Rob Eavis being in the current forefront of Derbyshire digging, the writer
fired a three shothole charge in obstructing slabs on 19th November. Two days
later he celebrated his 56th birthday by clearing the vast amount of bang
debris and gaining a view into open, descending passage ahead once again as
prophesied to be running below and to one side of the A1 Dig extension. One
loose rock prevented access. This was easily removed with the aid of a sling on
the 23rd but access to the passage beyond was denied due to previously unseen
rock slabs beyond. Gwilym, Jake B, Phil C. and Toby later shifted some of these
but the passage remained inviolate.
This was also the day when Gavin Newman, assisted by Tom
Chapman and Sarah Payne, filmed Aglarond 2 (aided by Sean): Fis Ole digging
operations (starring Henry and Alex): the puddle (yours truly-damn it) and skip
hauling in
A surface film team simultaneously recorded the writer being interviewed by
Chris Serle as the latter effortlessly winched up about a dozen loads 44
reaching the surface in all and giving a total of 2566 recorded since the start
of the dig! Chris was grateful that his presence underground was not insisted
upon as, being 6ft 9ins tall he is not over fond of the average Mendip cave.
The ITV team seemed pleased with the results of their efforts and Ivans flood
lighting combined with the swirling Mendip mist to give some good atmospheric
effects. Food and pints at the Hunters were gratefully received by the
thespian diggers on this bitterly cold night.
More clearing was done on the 26th by Carole White and
Martin Smith (BPC), the latter also taking photos, and the following day they
returned with the writer, John N. and Jane Clarke for further work at the face
when lots more rock slabs were dragged out and some two metres of progress made
into the new passage before previously hidden slabs stopped play. A flat drill
battery amused the
that Henry B. and the writer had to return on the 28th to bang the breakthrough
squeeze and clear more spoil. Trenching of the floor commenced in order to
drain the puddle forwards and this was continued on the 30th when partial
success transformed the lake into a mere slough of despond. Lots more
clearing was done throughout the cave and more slabs banged at the end where
the only encouraging feature was the strong draught.
Monday 5th December saw Henry B, John N. and your scribe
clearing a goodly amount of spoil from the end. An uninspired Henry was
bemoaning the lack of a way on when, on moving a rock on the left, he suddenly
gained a view into open passage. Much encouraged the diggers worked hard to
gain access but were defeated by more large slabs and were forced to retire to
H.Q. for liquid refreshment before returning in the afternoon armed with the
drill and a bunch of detonators, the bang having run out. Three sessions of
micro-blasting using a total of seven dets was just enough to break up the
slabs and allow the writer to enter the new stuff feet first and kicking a
large boulder forwards. Alas the way on was a calcite and boulder choked hole in
the floor but in recompense a standing-sized inlet passage with a couple of
rift avens and some fine formations, including a partly dried out crystal pool,
yielded about 8m of cave. On later draining the slough of despond into the
extension some entertaining gurgling noises resulted as the water sank in the
hole in the floor. The totally knackered diggers then gratefully headed out,
once again leaving the
unopened. At least we now had plenty of stacking space and bag-hauling to the
surface will thankfully be a thing of the past.
The film epic continued on the 7th when B.C.R.A. Chairman
and physicist John Wilcock rushed around the paddock with his battered dowsing
rods accompanied by the writer and both being interviewed by Chris. John is convinced
that the cave extends SE to the junction of the
swings round to the south to connect to St. Cuthberts. He predicts that a
passage nearer the surface than the known St. Cuthberts system passes over the
main passage NW-SE then joins the cave to the south, as stated earlier time
will tell if he is correct. His results appeared to delineate the general
boundaries of the known Rose Cottage passages and were later partially repeated
by Tony Audsley who also recorded the whole circus on camera for his web site.
That evening more of the team visited the new stuff and dragged most of the
remaining full bags up to the top of the Corkscrew. They also hauled rocks from
Fis Ole and commenced the dig in the floor at the end. Henry Dawson made his
first appearance and became the third digger of that apparently rare caving
forename to join the team. This makes the use of a passage full of loose Henries no longer
useable in the cave description.
The 11th December saw Fi and the writer attacking the
calcite blockage and the former becoming joyously enthused on discovering the
quagmire of porridge-like mud below it. Stitch drilling and a misfired two
detonator charge left the stubborn calcite still in place. 1 load reached the
surface and next day another 16 joined it when the two returned with Jake B.
While more rock was hauled back to Aglarond 1 the dets were rewired and fired
but with little effect. Excavation continued in the squalid floor dig and the
nearby crystal pool was bailed to reveal no passable way on but a couple of
fine, crystal covered stalactites. A drystone wall was constructed above the
pool to provide a spoil dump in the rift behind it and any shortage of rock was
soon solved after Jake pointed out the dangerous state of the adjacent ceiling.
To prove his fears groundless your scribe poked it with his finger resulting in
a mass movement, an abject apology and some deft crowbar work resulting in
about half a ton of good building stone. Some digging was done in the rift
above the new spoil dump but banging was needed here to reach a wider section
ahead.
Excavation of the hole in the floor continued on the 14th
when it was reported to be widening out below the calcite. The very last full
spoil bags (touch wood!) were removed to the surface in 69 skiploads to give a
total of 2,652 recorded as being dragged out over the last 14 months. At a
minimum weight of 8 kilos each this totals 21,216 kilos (19.09 tons). This does
not include the initial spoil removed with the mini-digger. Bloody good effort,
team!
The next session at the end, on 19th December, saw a
considerable amount of digging and dumping and the opening of a tiny, decorated
airspace in the floor dig. A faulty drill prevented banging of the rift above.
Work continued two days later when a vast amount of spoil was bagged and stored
in and above the crystal pool the only available space.
Another dangerous roof slab was brought down before it
decimated the digging team (seximated actually as there were but six tonight
and only the digger at the face was in mortal peril). Reports from the end
indicated little promise but as Pub time loomed Paul B. opened up a clean
washed, arm-sized hole in the floor and enthusiasm was once again restored. So
much restored that on the following evening Paul, John N. and your scribe were
back at the face frantically digging, hauling and stacking like three
automatons. Worn out and gritty-eyed Paul came up for a spell allowing John to
inspect the dig. On pulling out a few stones he was rewarded with an open and
apparently deep hole from which emanated the strong draught. With closing time
drawing ever closer the writer took a turn at the front and opened the hole to
almost passable size but not quite. A steeply sloping calcite floor dropped
away into a black void with many fine formations visible but un-enterable
without bang or another hours work. Well past 10pm the ecstatic diggers broke
all records to reach the Hunters where festive pints of Prancers Pride
provided both sustenance and a suitable name for the forthcoming and
barrel-winning extension! The diggers were certain that the prophesied
continuation of Aglarond 2 had finally been reached after five and a half
months hard labour excavating their way along the A1 and Fis Ole Digs (see
later for proof of this). To ensure easy access the window into Prancers Pride
was banged by Madphil on the following evening while Henry B. and the writer
tidied up the spoil heap. It was very noticeable that the bang sounded
particularly loud all the way back in Aglarond 1.
The Christmas Day team of assorted hangover sufferers Jake
B, Paul B, Jeff Price and the writer took down a 5m ladder as an aid on the
stalagmite slope and your scribe was just able to squeeze in and enlarge the
breakthrough point for his larger colleagues. As is normal on these occasions
the huge passage had shrunk somewhat and only c.4m of progress was made to a
choke in the floor of the steeply descending bedding plane below. An inlet
above this was briefly examined but was thought too pretty to push. Not
despondent we headed for the Pub and festivities leaving the
miniature sipped as a gesture. Next day the writer cleared rocks and banged the
boulders.
He returned on the 27th with Fiona and a strangely
uncoordinated Henry B. for a very intensive clearing session. The inlet grotto
was sacrificed as a spoil dump and this passage pushed for some 5m to the base
of a strongly draughting rift which needed committed squeezing to gain access.
This beautifully decorated feature was suspected to connect with the more
easily reached spoil dump rift in the chamber some 10m above. More rocks in the
floor of the bedding plane were banged as an enlargement could be seen beyond.
The writer, Bobble and a slightly less uncoordinated Henry cleared the result
on the morning of the 28th and fired another charge to allow access into an
elliptical and well decorated passage with a howling outward draught. On this
trip your scribe pushed the inlet into a stunningly beautiful chamber where
exploration would have been almost sacrilegious but was suddenly found to be
unnecessary when some 8m away through the formations he espied the orange
conservation tape in Aglarond 2! This explained why the bang was so noisy when
fired from Aglarond 1, not that far above. At least the diggers now knew where
they were and were convinced that the phreatic passage some 7-8m below was the
way on. A return was made in the evening by five of the team who removed a
large amount of rock from the mornings bang enabling access to be gained to
the elliptical passage which John N. pushed to a constriction with a view into
a possible way on to the right. While Pete H, Jake B, Phil C. and John
continued with enlarging the breakthrough point the writer, armed with a lump
hammer, removed the obstacle and smashed his way through assorted formations to
reach a climb down over flowstone in an exceptionally attractive junction of
phreatic passages. Superb curtains, straws, flowstone and small helictites
adorned this area but many had to go before it could be fully explored. This
was thought to be justified after all the effort made to avoid desecrating
Aglarond 2 but the noise of tinkling calcite was heart rending. Seeing large
passage below the explorer shouted back the traditional and immortal Were
in! and clambered down the climb to reach a muddy streamway which immediately
closed down below the flowstone slope. A gap over a calcited boulder above this
was briefly examined but needed banging to enlarge. John came in for a look
then the pair retreated to allow Jake and Pete their well deserved turn the
latter luckily having an instant camera to record the occasion. It was
estimated that we had explored some 10m of quite stunning cave but the lack of
a feasible way on was a great disappointment. The gods of the cave, angry at
the despoliation, saw to it that the desecrators fingers suffered a painful
squashing as he climbed out to at last open the long-standing bottle of
enjoyed by all including Phil who was suffering from a Christmas headache
then the long grind out to the surface got underway and celebrations and
theorising continued in the bar.
On the 30th December the writer, in Aglarond 2, established
clear vocal contact with Trev Hughes and Jane C. who were in Prancers Pride.
This indicated that the muddy streamway in the latter possibly flowed to
Aglarond 3. Evaluation of the digging prospects here showed that the only
feasible site was the partially calcite-filled rift above the impassable
streamway and a careful banging project was thought to be acceptable. Some
justification for this was gleaned from the fact that about three digging
sessions in the beautiful Aglarond 2 would have gained us access to Prancers
Pride in a lot less than five and a half months but conservation had overruled
this!
Work on the calcited rift commenced next day when Tangent
and the writer put three long shotholes in the flowstone coated rock on the
right hand side, loaded them with 40gm cord and loudly fired the charge from
Aglarond 1 above. Being a wet day the pair were treated to an amazing drumming
noise emanating from beyond the dig site and put this down to water dripping
onto a calcite false floor. Returning on the 2nd January with Jeff P. your
scribe carefully cleared the debris and laid a two shothole charge, again fired
from 1. Jeff drilled a hole in the floor of the entrance squeeze to 2 for
possible future enlargement. The drumming noise was absent today, as was any
sense of co-ordination in the diggers following the excesses of New Year!
Wednesday 4th January saw two separate teams working in the
cave. Paul B. and the writer cleared the bang spoil in Aglarond 3 and tidied
the place up. The calcite blockage was removed enough to give a view into, not
the huge gallery expected, but a dried out, flowstone-lined pool decorated with
scores of fine helictites which has effectively closed down this site. A
rethink is needed here. A painful housemaids elbow (your scribe) and several
triple hammered fingers (Paul) enlivened the trip. Pete, Fi, Henry B, John,
Alex and later Paul returned to Prancers Pride to commence digging the RH side
of the crawl. They removed a large amount of spoil in unpleasantly damp
conditions.
The 7th and 8th January saw bouts of surface work with Henry
B, Chris B, Ivan, and the writer clearing out the Priddy Pot Water leat from
the Belfry to the pond and diverting much of the stream down the cave
entrance. On the 9th green drain dye (fluorescein) was put in this stream and
later observed to flow along Bored of the Rings to sink in the Connection Dig.
A trickle flowing down
Hindrance Lane
a third of the way down the Corkscrew and flowed down the flowstone slope in
Aglarond 1, through the impassable slot and into Aglarond 3 from where it
disappeared into the distance. The surface stream was also diverted into the
slumped sink adjacent to the entrance and the site of the initial dig. Purple
dye (Rhodamine derived?) was introduced but this water was not observed
anywhere in the known cave! Two other tiny inlet streams in A1 Dig and above
Prancers Pride were flowing clear and may derive from water sinking in the
pond (one of these doesnt see later). Some digging was done in the
unpleasantly damp RH passage in Prancers Pride and the squeeze between
Aglarond 2 and 3 was enlarged with explosives. Todays cold and damp operatives
were Henry B, Jeff P. and your scribe. The significance of the slumped sink had
now increased dramatically.
The bang spoil was cleared on the 11th and the squeeze found
to be easier but still a challenge. Paul B. and the writer then used plugs and
feathers to widen the banged calcite flow in Aglarond 3 to gain a better view
of the stunning helictites and beautiful aven above. There is no way that any
further work can be done here and the aven was seen to close down anyway. Some
tidying up was done and several pieces of broken calcite were removed for
scientific examination by Lisa Thomas. Meanwhile Ben O, Sean H, Pete H, Henry
D, Phil C, Toby M. and John N. cleared much clag from the downstream crawl in
Prancers Pride in order to make the RH dig more user friendly. All the spoil
reached the higher dump thanks to the number of diggers. Petes draught-testing
joss sticks made the whole cave stink like a Siamese brothel on cheap night!
Green dye introduced into the pond was not seen in this area as expected but
may not have had time to filter through. There was still no trace of the purple
dye.
On the 16th January Henry B, Tony A. and the writer
commenced work on re-excavating the slumped sink (the original Belfry Dig)
and after hauling out many bucket loads of mud and inwashed sediment regained
the shattered limestone floor at some 2m depth. Lots of rock slabs were prised
out and used to wall yet another spoil dump. The lightweight A-frame used to
support the floodlight was moved over to the new dig and braced with scaffold
poles following a couple of minor hauling disasters and a wooden ladder was
acquired to gain access to the rapidly deepening working face. At the end of
the day the Priddy Pot Water stream was directed into the hole and backed up to
around a metre deep. The following morning it was found to have dropped to
about half a metre with surprisingly no slumping occurring overnight. Rich W.
spent some time walling the spoil dump while Tony A. continued his dowsing
project and detected both the fault line and a much stronger reaction running
from the cave, under the tackle / M.R.O. store and across the Belfry car park.
Jane C. did a fine job of checking out the cave twice with the stream entering
the dig and once with it diverted. Much to our chagrin this revealed that part
or all of the water re-appeared from a tiny inlet at the bottom of Pauls
Personal Project before flowing on down Bored of the Rings. On the earlier dye
test this passage was not visited and if any purple dye had got through the mud
infill and into the cave it would have been overpowered by the much brighter
green dye poured in from the entrance above.
Despite this setback work continued with the surface dig on
the 18th when many buckets of slumped clay and several rock slabs were removed
and temporary shoring installed. Sean H. photographed operations for the
record. Meanwhile, below, a large team cleared another dozen skips of spoil
from the RH dig in Prancers Pride.
With the stream diverted into the pond a wet trip resulted
on the 20th when the spoil rift at the end of Fis Ole and the calcited
boulder blocking the streamway in Prancers Pride were banged resulting in
Henry B. and the writer being chased out by the fumes.
Scaffold shoring of the resurrected surface dig took place
next day with Duncan Butler and Henry B. spending most of the day on site with
assistance from Henry D. Henry B. and Rich W. continued with this on the 22nd
when more digging revealed a pretty solid limestone floor with the stream soaking
away through small fissures.
Meanwhile Fi, Duncan and the writer introduced yet another
Henry (Patton Reading U.C.C.) to the delights of spoil hauling 7 ½ skips from
Prancers Pride to the rift above. The two banged sites were also cleared.
Probably due to the results of Madphils birthday barrels the supposedly
charged drill battery was decidedly flat so next day a solo trip was made to
drill and bang the terminal streamway. All went well until a presumed broken
bang wire resulted in a misfire, which needed another visit to rectify. Today
green water from the surface dig definitely entered the cave via a tiny choked
bedding in the skip store alcove in P.P.P. to then partly flood Connection
Dig before reappearing at the bottom of the Corkscrew and also in Petes Baby.
The inlet at the start of A1 Dig also flowed green and it seems likely that the
Petes Baby water reaches it via a boulder choked route above Aglarond 1. This
water was diverted into the decorated virgin floor rift in Aglarond 2 and found
to enter Prancers Pride down the main flowstone slope on the NW side. The
other inlet entering this area flowed clear. The misfire was sorted out on the
24th when the spoil rift was also drilled and banged. With the stream diverted
into the St. Cuthberts depression the cave was pleasantly dry. The debris from
the two bangs was cleared next day by a five-man team and on the 26th a charge
was fired in the floor of the surface dig.
leave the dark cave of sin, come into the light
J.S.Bach
Additional Diggers and Enthusiasts
Ben Noble, Emma Heron (W.C.C.), Steve Sparham, Chris Falshaw
(donation to digging fund), Anne Pugh, Chris Serle, Mary ?, John ? and colleague
(director, presenter, sound woman, surface cameraman and sound man ITV West),
John Wilcock (B.C.R.A.), Gavin Newman, Tom Chapman, Sarah Payne (underground
film team), Henry Rockliff, Rob Eavis, Eszter Horvath (Sheffield U.S.S.),
Martin Billy Whizz Smith (B.P.C.), Jane Clarke, Andy Chamberlain, Henry
Dawson (Reading U.C.C.), Trevor Hughes, Lisa Thomas (calcite studies), Henry
Patton (Reading U.C.C.).
To be continued in your next exciting Belfry Bulletin.
The Search For Hutton Cavern
Nick Richards and Nick
Harding
Caves are where you find them
Wig
It seems somewhat odd and disturbing that it was November
2003 that Loxton Cavern was discovered. Where did the time go? Well, actually a
large percentage of that time has been spent looking for another famous lost
cave and one visited and described by our old chum Alexander Catcott. The
following is just a summation of the activities of the
Mendip
rediscover Hutton Cavern.
Hutton Cavern cross section from the Rutter family copy. (1829)
Chronological history of the cavern.
Summary:
1. Cavern opened by William Glisson and his ochre
miners.
2. 1756 Catcott became aware of the bone cavern. (A
letter published in Gentlemans magazine).(Gentlemans Magazine 1757 vol.
xxvii)
3. 1757 Diaries of tours mentions visit to the
cavern.(Diaries of tours made in
and
MSS Bris Ref Lib)
4. 1757 Catcott and two others visit the cavern.
(In letter to friend) at William Glissons ochre pits. (Letter-Description of
Loxton Cavern MSS 1761. Transcribed by CJ Harford. MS Bris Ref Lib)
5. 1768 Catcott publishes further description in
Supplement to a book entitled Treatise on the Deluge. 1828 Cavern
rediscovered by David Williams and William Beard (with two labourers).
6. 7. Visited by prominent local dignitaries. (Williams diaries). Wrote
letter to William Patterson (published in Delineations of North West
Somerset (Rutter 1829). Section/map in
book.
7. Mid 19c location mentioned by Gideon Mantell (in
Diary).(C Richards-pers comm)
8. Cavern lost.
9. 1970s Attempts at rediscovery by various caving
clubs.
10. 2005 Attempt at rediscovery by Harding/Richards
of the BEC.
The references:
Ochre miners (employed by William Glisson) discovered the
cave in 1756 and a number of bones sent to Catcott (by a Mr Turner of Loxton). Catcott wrote a
letter to Peter Collinson in Oct 1756, which was subsequently published in the
Gentlemans magazine
.
.A gentleman who was digging, upon a high hill near Mendip, for ochre
and ore, found at a depth of 52 fathom, or 315 and a half feet (as he measured
himself by a direct line) four teeth, not tusks, of a large elephant (which I
think is the whole number the creature has) and two thigh bones, with part of
the head; all extremely well preserved; for they lay in a bed of ochre, which I
could easily wash off. When they brought to me, every crevice was filled with
the ochre, and as I washed it off from the outside, a most beautiful white
appeared; and they make a fine shew in my cabinet. I propose going down into
the pit myself soon; for the men have left several small pieces behind, which
they did not think worth bringing up, and I make no doubt, if that be the case,
but I shall procure the whole, or great part of the animal
.
On May 20th 1757. Catcott was in the area looking for signs
of the Deluge, he writes in his Diaries of
Beneath N. end of Bleyden lye Hutton hill, wherein the oaker pitts are
from whence the bones and teeth were dug; lesser and lower Hill than Bleadon
Hill adjoining to it: first opened by Glisson 20 years ago, no pit before on
the hill: the bones lay about 7 fathom deep, in a bed of yellowish ochre: first
occurred regular bed of limestone 2 fathom; next bed of ochre, a fathom, then
limestone 2 fathom, then a leer or opening a fathom that in which lay bones and
ochre
In June 10 1757 Catcott explores the cavern and gives
description in his Diaries of
Went with Mr Gore to see the pit, whence the elephants teeth and bones
were dug which were sent me by Mr Turner. We entered it with a man who dug out
the first teeth and boned etc; and found several others very large, and
especially two great teeth; one uncommonly curved; & 2 or 3 pieces of large
horn & the tip of a lesser; several pieces of bones, seemingly of horses;
many small rib bones and vertebrae & teeth etc etc. They lay in a brownish
rubbly sludge or ochreous matter mixed with many loose stones of – fragments
that had been worn by agitation: & to one of the vertebrae I found 2
fragments of stone with entrochi, plainly worn by water, affixed. They lay at
the mouth of a swallet: See letter to Mr Price for the rest &
The first pit on the hill opened by one Glisson about 18
years ago. The whole hill is full of swallet holes. The following acct of this
pit where the bones were found given to me by Glisson. Veg. Mould about 18inc:
rubbly ochre about 4 feet: then the rock opened in fissure about 18 inc: broad,
& 4 feet long: this fissure filled with good yellow ochre (but no bones) to
a depth of 8 yds: then the rocks opened to a cavern about 20 ft square & 4
feet high: the bottom of which cavern consisted of ochre, on the surface of
which and also in the inside were multitudes of white bone. In the centre of
the roof of this cavern was a large Stalactite, about 2 feet long & as
thick as a mans leg & directly under it was a stalagmitical protuberance
about 18 inches high, so nearly touching the stalactite. In the side of this
cavern was a hole, about 3 feet square, leading down? through a passage of 18 yds
to another cavern, 20 yds long and 5 broad, both passage and cavern filled with
bones and ochre (all the passage and chamber upon a deep descent). In this
cavern another passage about 4 yds downwards, & about 6 feet square, filled
with rubble, ochre large bones, calk stones and lead-ore, confusedly mixed
together, pointing towards the
level, for 18 yds. Hence I dug the larger teeth & bones of the Elephant:
the pit was opened from the surface to fall on this cavern or side hole &
all the way appeared nothing but rubble, ochre, bones, & loose stones: so
that these last bones lay in more rubble. Before you entered this last
described side hole there opened just before you a large deep opening, tending
perpendicularly downwards, which before had been filled with rubble, bad ochre
& bones; but was certainly at the mouth of a large swallet: they followed
it about 6 yds deep but finding no good ochre they left the pursuit. From the
surface of the earth to the bottom of this last hole about 30 yds & all the
leading passage on a deep descent almost perpendicular: the side of the Rock
worn, as in Swallets.
About 40 yds West from the last hole was opened another, of a similar
nature with ochre, bones etc, & about as deep. From this was dug a large
long head of an animal; about 3 or 4 feet long: 14 inches broad at the top or
hind part & 3 inches at the snout shaped like a crocodile! (Sea horse). He
had also the teeth perfect & 4 tusks, the larger tusks about 4 inches long
out of the head & the teeth about 3 inches long.
In 1757 the cavern is mentioned again in a letter to friend
transcribed by Harford.
Having satisfied myself
concerning the origin and nature of Loxton Cavern I next went to examine the
pit from which the bones and teeth of the elephant were dug out of which I have
given a so imperfect an account some little time since; but now propose to be
more particular and satisfactory. The pit whence these bones yet were dug was
opened on the north side of Loxton Hill or that part of it which is above the
Parish of Hutton and therefore called Hutton Hill but as it is the same in
nature I shall not observe the Parochial distinction. As William Glisson (who
discovered Loxton Cavern) was digging for ochre; about three hundred paces south of the gate of a field called Down
Acres in the parish of Hutton. at a depth of eight yards he broke into a
small cave about 20 feet square and four high the bottom of this consisted of a
yellowish brown ochre on the surface of which intermixed with the whole mass
were a multitude of small white bones. In the centre of the roof of this cave
was a large stalactite of spar with its stalagmite under it. On one side of
this cave was a hole three feet square leading obliquely downwards for eighteen
yards which opened into another cave about ten yards long and five broad the
passage leading into this and the cave itself containing more of less of ochre
and bones. On the side of this cave was also a small hole leading obliquely
down for about four yards which opened into the cavity whence the larger bones
and teeth (of which I give you a brief account) were dug. This cavity extended
sideways or horizontally for about eighteen yards, it was six feet high had
been dug out and was then digging for more ochre. Having descended in company
with two or three friends through the several passages just described, we came
to the last or horizontal cavity And here I must own I was struck with some awe
and concern for myself and fellow travellers. What I considered the depth we were
at from the surface; the weight of the superincumbent earth and that nothing
appeared around us but loose ochre and dead bones projecting from the top,
sides and bottom of this horizontal cavity; so that the whole exhibited an
appearance not much like the inside of a charnel house. We staid in this place
two hours and being well supplied with supplements dug out a vast number and a
great variety of bones and teeth of different species of Land animals, but
finding the roof began to yield and the sides much weakened we thought it not
advisable to continue any longer but proceeded to return by the way we came in
returning I observed at the mouth of the horizontal cavity a small hole
descending perpendicularly, enquiring of Glisson whither it led he told me he
had pursued it four or five yards deep, that he had dug from thence ochre and
bones but that the natural hollow still continued and went probably to a great
depth in the Earth. But that nothing material was now observable therein. On
this we ascended: but with full intent to revisit the place as soon as it could
be secured and propped up with woodwork. Before this was effected the whole
fell in and the cavity rendered inaccessible however Glisson still continued to
work on this hill for ochre and having opened several lesser pits near this
large one he came into several similar cavities and hollows like the forgoing
partly filled with ochre and bones (of?) as the first of these bones and teeth
he brought he many curious specimens: and having now all I have hopes of
receiving (?) I shall give you a particular account of the most remarkable
according to the drawing I have herewith sent you.
At the bottom of the manuscript is a note written by the
transcriber.
Here Mr Catcotts MS ends it is not written by himself but
appears to have been written out for the purpose of publishing it but this he
probably relinquished on writing. His History of the Deluge fastened to the
last page 71 is the following paper written by himself. For the names of the
bones, teeth etc see the catalogue of my fossils from page 86 begin either with
the great tooth found in the jaw or else the whole skeleton of the Lemur
Maccauso (?) page 75. Conclusions. North side of Loxton hill full of swallets
as well as these bones sunk in here by the Deluge Waters as they lay in loose
fragments of rock. In a rubbly matter worn and torn by these waters (all the
animals might have been natives of elsewhere) see Treatise on the Deluge page
361 note see Mr. Jeffries account of an elephant found at Sandford Hill in his
letter Jan 8th 1770. And also my catalogue of Col. P 78. See journal for June
10th 1757 (and end of journal for May 20th 1757. For elephant dug up in
also de skeleto Elephantino terrae effosso and all with.
A further note is a letter to Catcott by Mr John Price, he
explains that Peter Collinson approached him for an account of the cave.
Collinson publishes the letter as if it was sent to him. (Gentlemans Magazine
Oct 1756 see above) John Price also mentions another letter sent to him by
Catcott. (June 27th 1757)
I have since visited the place
and dug out (by the assistance of a gentleman and a man who entered the cave
with me) two other teeth almost as large as the largest I had before but most
surprisingly curved or crooked and of a different animal (if the common
observation that Elephants teeth have only twelve parallel lines or indentures
be true) I found one of them sticking in the jaw but it parted from the jaw (in
which the Indentures of the fangs were most beautifully impressed) on lifting
it from the ground and this part of the jaw was so very tender I could not
preserve it whole: afterwards with great labour and care we dug out the Os
Femeris of an animal quite perfect and as big as the two bones I had before and
soon after we found the Tibia and many other bones, I found the several large
fragments and the tip of a horn of some animal very large and porous or rather
canaliculous and the tip of another horn that had plainly been worn or whetted
against a stone or tree and I believe belonged to a Rhinocerous. I found also
part of a branched horn or Deer very flat and two or three long thin rib bones
of some animal. One of the longest and tender and high, for safety reasons I
brought away fastened to my hat
In 1768 Catcott mentions the cave again in his A supplement
to a book, entitled a Treatise on the Deluge. (PP 44-46)
A few years since I have
received, as a present, from a gentleman in Somersetshire, four teeth (dentes
morales) two thigh-bones, and part of the head of an elephant, that were dug
out of Hutton-Hill (which is a branch or a lateral continuation of the high
ridge of Mendip-Hills) in Somersetshire. Upon the reception of this present,
and the information that there were still some other bones left behind, I went
down to the place, and in company with three or four other persons, entered the
pit from whence they were dug; and found two other dentes morales, or grinders,
one of them lying in the jaw, three rib bones, two thigh bones, part of a tusk,
with a multitude of lesser bones belonging, in all probability, to the same
animal. Besides these we picked up part of a large Deers horn, very flat, and
the slough of a horn (or the spongy porous substance that occupies the inside
of the horns of oxen, etc) of an extraordinary size, together with a great
variety of teeth and small bones, belonging to different species of land
animals. One of the men, that had been at work in these pits, brought me a
collection of small bones that he had found in a pit adjoining, lying by
themselves, and no extraneous body near them. Upon putting these bones together
at my leisure, I found they composed almost the entire skeleton of an animal,
about the size of a fox; but the teeth, jaw, and several of the bones did not
answer to any European animal I was acquainted with. The same person assured
me, that before I came down, he had found in digging the same place the head of
a strange animal, that he believed was near three feet in length, a foot broad
in the hinder part, and three or four inches at the extremity, from whence
issued four tusks, two from each jaw. The teeth were large, and all well
preserved in the jaw. From this description it seems to have been the head of
the hippopotamus, or sea, or river horse. (The nearest river to us in which
this animal is bred, is the
adjoining, but so carefully, that neither he nor myself could ever after
find it. All these bones lay in a dark yellowish ochreous kind of matter, from
fifty to a hundred feet deep. The largest and greatest number lay about seventy
feet deep in a horizontal cavity (that had been dug for the ochre) eighteen
yards long, and six feet square. The bones and teeth were extremely well
preserved, all retaining their native whiteness, as they projected from the
sides and top of this cavity, exhibited an appearance not much unlike the
inside of a charnel house. We staid in this place two hours, digging out all
the bodies we could find, until the roof in two or three places began to fall
in, and we thought it too dangerous to continue any longer. Upon my second
intention of visiting it, I was informed; the whole had fallen in. There were
no marks nor the least sign of any pit having been opened on this hill besides
those dug for ochre, and the person who opened the first pit assured me, he
believed the hill had never been dug into before. Which consideration, together
with the number of strange bones and teeth, belonging to different animals, of
countries far distant from England, and the depth in which they were found
(without mentioning other circumstances, that cannot be enlarged upon in such a
note as this) may serve as a sufficient proof that they were left there by the
Deluge.
The cave remained lost until 1828 when the Rector of
Bleadon, David Williams, and William Beard of Banwell, (both local geologists)
decided to reopen the cave. In 1829 David Williams wrote to William Patteson,
(Vicar of Shaftsbury) describing this endeavour. This letter was published in J
Rutters Delineations of North West Somerset 1829. A William Barnes also
prepared a woodcut section of the cavern, which appeared in the same book.
THE CAVERN is situated on the
where the hill rises to an elevation of three to four hundred feet above the
sea. In the city library of
are preserved a collection of bones, which were presented by the Rev. Dr
Catcott, who was instrumental to their discovery in this cavern, about seventy
years since. The miners having opened an ochre pit, came to a fissure in the
limestone rock, filled with good ochre, which being continued to a depth of
eight yards, opened into a cavern, the floor of which consisted also of ochre;
and strewed on its surface, were large quantities of white bones, which were
found dispersed through the ochreous mass. In the centre of the chamber, a
large stalactite depended from the roof; beneath which, a corresponding pillar
of stalagmite rose from the floor. In Dr Catcotts learned and ingenious
Treatise on the Deluge, he mentions this circumstance, and states, that in
the company with two or three friends, he descended into a cavern about ninety
feet deep, around whose sides, and from the roof, the bones projected, so as to
represent the inside of a charnel house; that they extracted a great many bones
of different land animals, until the roof and sides beginning to yield, they
ascended, purposing to return when it should be properly secured by woodwork.
That on his expressing his intention, a few weeks after, of visiting it again,
he was informed the whole had fallen in, and was inaccessible.
These remarks first directed the attention of the Rev David
Williams of Bleadon to the discovery of elephants and other animal bones on
Hutton Hill; but, as the occurrence happened 70 years since, he despaired of
recovering the fissure, especially as the number of ochre pits on the hill, all
nearly in the same state, made the chances great against opening the right one.
Mr Williams was at length encouraged to make the attempt, from having discovered fragments of ancient bone,
amongst the rubbish near one of the old pits; and from the information of
an old miner, who told him that his father had pointed out this as the spot. At
this crisis of hope and uncertainty, Mr Williams received from his friend, the
Rev. Mr. Richardson of Farley, a copy of an unpublished manuscript by Dr
Catcott, which further assisted him in identifying the place. Mr Good, the Lord
of the Manor, having readily granted permission, Mr Williams began the work, in
conjunction with Mr Beard, whose zeal and ardour in such pursuits every one
knows and respects, who has visited
Mr Williams states, that the men opened into what may be
termed three chambers in the fissure, the floor of the one above, forming the
roof of the one below, and consisting of huge fragments of rock, which have
sunk away and jammed themselves between the strata; their intersections being
filled with ochreous rubble and bones. The
strata on each side, dip about north, with a variation of about ten degrees in
their inclination; the south cliff dipping at an angle of about 75 degrees, and
the northern about 65 degrees. Though in the shaft first drawn, which is not
more than 10 yards distant, and in other places near, still more irregularly. The
whole of this part of the hill, appears more like the tremendous ecroulement of
an adjacent mountain, than the conformable super-position of stratified rocks.
It is difficult to imagine a scene evincing greater disturbances; the whole
region appears to have been displaced and shattered by the convulsing efforts
of some mighty agent, elevating some strata, and depressing others, thereby
creating chasms and fissures through the whole.
These rocks are mainly filled with ochre and ochreous
rubble, throughout which, the bones are generally disposed; the principal of
these are, elephant, tiger, hyaena, boar, wolf, horse, hare, fox, rat, mouse,
and bird. There has been found no more trace of the ox tribe here, than there
is of the horse in Banwell; although the ox is as abundant there, as the horse
is here.
Among the many curious and interesting specimens, which have
been discovered, the following deserve particular notice; viz. The milk teeth
and bones of a calf elephant; the molares and bones of another young one, about
a size larger; of a full grown animal are two humeri, two femora, two tusks,*
and five molares; so that independent of the young ones, we have the principal
remains of at least one animal of this class. Dr Catcott obtained from this
hill, six molares, four femora, one head, three ribs, and a tusk; making
altogether, found here, eleven molares, six femora, two humeri, one head, three
ribs, and three tusks. Thus, the number of molares and femora, prove that three
large animals were deposited here.
There are also specimens of two hyaenas of the extinct
species, with the jaw and bones of a young tiger, which was just shedding his
teeth, when fate arrested him. The young tusks may now be seen in the act of
replacing the milk teeth. There is no appearance of gnawed bone, and only two
specimens have been discovered of album graecum.
There are the remains of several wolves, and of the horse of
different ages and sizes, from the little Shetland, up to the great
the fox, hare, rabbit, rat and mouse. Besides these there are also the furculae
of two birds of a large species, probably of the pelican tribe; judging from
the knobs on each side, to which some very strong tendons had been attached, it
appears to have been provided with great powers of running, or of sustaining
itself on the wing.
* Dr Catcott says, he found a great many bones in the ochre;
hitherto none have been found in the recent research, though it has, as yet,
been but imperfectly examined. The bones hitherto procured have been extracted
at different depths, varying from 15 to 50 feet; the elephant and tiger lay
about 18 feet deep. There are some good specimens of bony brecchia, but no
pebbles have yet been discovered.
These tusks are much curved, and have suffered a very
extensive fracture, probably from the collision of two rocks. Of the fragments
which are preserved, one is two feet four inches long, and sixteen inches in
circumference; the other is four feet and a half long. One of the molar teeth
is three inches across, and five inches deep, from the grinding surface to the
fang. It is broken and several of the laminae are gone, but its proportions are
altogether much larger than a full sized molar tooth, in possession of Mr.
Beard, taken from a recent animal. – D.W.
In one of the (Vol. 5, Mar-Aug 1834) David Williams diaries
is a small section of Hutton Hill with a plan of the bone pits superimposed.
From notebook Vol. 5
Mar-Aug 1834
Rev. David Williams MS.
About 1830 Gideon Mantell (Surgeon and naturalist) in his
diaries writes that Bleadon cavern lay 2 miles from Banwell Caves and that
Hutton Cavern was a quarter of a mile further
on.
Sketch of dig sites
along line of pits
Subsequent excavation by various caving clubs have revealed
Bleadon Cavern and two other caves which (after some confusion) have not proven
to be the lost cave of Hutton including the cave mentioned as being 40 yds
west.
Certain clues to the caverns location can be extracted from
the manuscripts above
Maps show Hutton Cavern as lying in the trees near the top
of Canada Combe in an area of old ochre pits. However this is wrong as this has
proved to be Bleadon Cavern, a cave unrelated to the real Hutton Cavern. Many
writers including Knight (1902 Seaboard of Mendip) and Bucknell (1925) have
assumed the same.
1. About 40 yds west of the last hole.
Catcott mentions another bone
cave here where the ; head was found. (see 3) This could be any of the pits
in the east-west line here. It is possible that excavation may reveal this cave
first, therefore giving a clue to the entrance of Hutton Cavern itself.
2. The cave lay, about three hundred paces
south of the gate into Down Acres.
The large field, which lies on
the North side of the track which leads up from
map 1837) as Downacre. At the bottom of the field is a gate with an old path
that ascends from Hutton village. We have walked the 300 paces approximately
south several times with different strides and we came to the area of an
east-west line of old ochre pits.
3. He had concealed this head in a wood
adjoining.
On old maps most of Hutton Hill
is shown as rough pasture. The boundary of the ancient Hutton wood passes
roughly north-south up the side of downacres before following its sinuous
path to the south-west before straightening again along an east-west line. The
boundary is marked by a bank and ditch. This boundary passes very close to the
line of east-west pits, therefore we can summise that the head which was
secreted in the wood-must have been nearby.
4. Scraps
of bone found in the rubbish of one of the old pits.
It would be relatively easy to
dig test pits in all the dumps to see if there were any bones. We have not done
this (yet).
5. the
strata on each side, dip about north, with a variation of about ten degrees in
their inclination; the south cliff dipping at an angle of about 75 degrees, and
the northern about 65 degrees. Though in the shaft first drawn, which is not
more than 10 yards distant, still more irregularly.
This would imply that the cave
(which is essentially an east-west fissure) lies on a fault plane. The 6
geological map shows an outlier of rhaetic strata at
Extrapolating west, the fault is marked by a prominent scarp. This attenuates
in the area of pits (see above). The inference is that the line of pits are
actually situated on the fault and digging may reveal the fault plane itself.
6. The William Barnes woodcut.
The section illustrated in The
Delineations of NW Somerset is viewed from the south and shows a
well-developed hillock or promontary with three pits. The first pit (the most
easterly) is denoted as being ten yards from the next pits, which must be close
together. In the target area are two north-south promontaries bounded by
shallow valleys. The line of pits passes over both of these. Although the
section does not quite fit the pit configuration it must be realised that The
Barnes section may only give a sense of the topography, rather than an exact
reflection of the land surface.
7. The David Williams map
This is in fact a section of
Bleadon Hill, with a plan of the pits superimposed upon it. The caption itself suggests that Hutton
cavern lies to the west of Bleadon Cavern, unfortunately there is no scale.
8. A quarter of a mile further on
The location of Bleadon Cavern is
of course, known. The above statement suggests that Hutton Cavern lies roughly
a quarter of a mile further to the West. This could mean any of the groups of
pits here-but taken with the other clues the group of pits mentioned above
seems to be the most likely.
The clues above point to an area
of pits as mentioned (6 above).
Map
of the general area of the Dig.
Dig summary: March 05 March 06
Dig 1.
Commenced in March 2005 in what appeared to be one of the
largest pits in the area not far from the main path with a large down slope
spoil heap. Over the year the whole pit was excavated in three shafts to reveal
an east-west phreatic hollow on the fault plane (marked by fault breccia),
emptied of its ochre and back filled with rubble. Some galena also found. In
the western end of the pit, the point at which the greatest depth was reached a
clay pipe was discovered dated to the period 1820 1840, evidence of the
previous expedition to relocate Hutton Cavern.
Dig 1
The pit totally lacked any potential ways on and was
subsequently refilled.
Dig 2
Moving 40 yards west a second pit was opened in an obvious
ground feature and emptied. Immediately cave was discovered from which a large
amount of ochre had once been removed. Stal was also found and two shot holes
where a narrowing in the floor had been widened by the Old Men. Material was
emptied to a depth of 5 ms with ample evidence of phreatic development all
around. Numerous stal fragments were found within the spoil. At 5ms depth a horizontal phreatic tube some
10ms long was discovered heading west in the direction of the next pit
along. The tube, some .60ms high and
.05ms wide, appears to be a dead end (at this stage). Near the entrance the
floor has been trenched out and the stal, much in evidence, is coated with
ochre perhaps from the clothes of the Old Men.
Rough cross section
of Dig 2.
Dig 3
A brief trial dig in the next pit west has revealed a
natural rock wall on the north side of the depression.
Conclusions:
Drawing on the evidence from the various sources, whether
anecdotal or geological, it is safe to say that the general location for Hutton
Cavern is not in doubt. At the very least a thorough survey of the pits and
hence the discovery of new caves will add to a greater understanding of the
geological and historical nature of the environs. If the lost Hutton Cavern is not found then
at least recent work will narrow the focus for its re-discovery.
Pete Glanvilles 55th Birthday!
Venue:
Gorge.
Miscellany
The Prehistoric Elephant Tooth from St. Cuthbert’s Swallet
By Tony Jarratt
On July 4th 1954 the late Jack Waddon and friends discovered
a handsome prehistoric herbivore tooth lying amongst Old Red Sandstone pebbles at
the top of Rocky Boulder Passage (known to them as Extension, Mud Hall). It was
thought to be from Elephas primigenius and a "derived fossil"
transported to the site from a washed-out gravel deposit. Recently, thanks to
Tim Large, Sett, Margaret Chapman and particularly Mrs. Dorothy Waddon it has
been re-examined by Drs. Roger Jacobi and Andy Currant of the Natural History
Dept,
fragment of the unerrupted part of an upper molar of the straight-tusked
elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus. Mrs. Waddon has very generously donated it to
the growing collection of important Mendip cave finds at
Bennett R.H., Coase D.A., Falshaw C., & Waddon J. 1956 A preliminary report on St. Cuthbert’s
Swallet. BEC Cav Rep (2) 23pp
Irwin D.J. et al. 1991 St. Cuthbert’s Swallet. BEC 82pp p69
Hatley Rock Holes
By Nick Richards and
Nick Harding
After an initial dig and survey back in 2000/1 the Two Nicks
returned to this site on the north side of Worlebury Hill beneath the golf
course. Excavation began then abandoned for the Loxton Site but a revisit late
2005 produced some interesting developments. They continued to empty a tunnel
10 metres long an old mine working with a good number of shot holes at
various intervals along the passage until earlier this year they broke upwards,
via a squeeze into a chamber with what looked like further delights ahead. They
are returning, with Mad Phil to attempt a banging session to see if anything of
merit does indeed exist ahead. Hatley Rock Holes consists of three tunnels
one above the other and one to the side running into the hill on a bearing of
227 degrees. The nature of the geology there, i.e. a fault line and a basalt
bed up against the limestone should produce some interesting results!
Interestingly enough, a Sexton Blake story from the 60s entitled Such Men Are
Dangerous, describes subterranean systems beneath Worlebury Hill. Should the
Two Nicks wild imaginings prove correct then parts of the Hatley Rocks system
will be named after the tale. A fuller report will appear in the next edition
of this esteemed organ. (STOP PRESS: Banging in the tunnel proved inconclusive
at this stage).
New Providence Mine
By Nick Richards and
Nick Harding
The Two Nicks have also made a discovery in Long Ashton a
few hundred yards south east of Providence Mine. The cave called New Providence
Mine has an overall length of 30ms. After consultation with Chris Richards at
he was happy to confirm that there is no record of it in any documentation. The entrance is not a great distance from
Long Ashton and is almost at the boundary where the woods end and the gardens
of the adjoining houses begin. The narrow entrance, partially blocked leads
into a small chamber with a low roof. There is a small stack of deads on the
right through which a chamber can be seen. Heading east, crawling under a lower
section of ceiling the chamber heads down at a very gentle angle. There are
stal formations on the walls and floor, including a red stained flowstone floor
and numerous micro-gours, stal-ed up sticks and serrated ceiling ribbons. There
is even an old pit prop beneath a large block of perilous looking ceiling. This
chamber dog legs to the south and after several metres comes to a squeeze.
Through this the now 3metre high rift chamber, The Red Rift heads down to a
pool choked by small red stained boulders (a sump perhaps?) There is a
bedding chamber on the right that leads back up to the stack of deads in
entrance chamber and beneath that a tighter bedding chamber. Everything is
stained bright red except for higher parts of the cave, which keep their
natural limestone grey.
There will be a fuller report in the next BB.
Can anyone get scaffold clips?
By Henry Bennett
The Belfry shoring
store looks pretty well stocked with scaffold tubes and clips but it is not a
true reflection. The large blue plastic drums next to the tackle shed contain
an assortment of speciality clips, which are, no doubt, great for fixing
planks to towers but not much use for shoring. There are two types of clips
that are useful. Rightangle clips and swivels.
- Swivel
Clips are useful for cross bracing and in areas where you just cant get
the shoring to be square. - Right
Angles are great for locking together rigid boxes without cross bracing.
Weve actually got quite a few right angle clamps but they
are all pretty stuffed. All the serviceable ones have been used and most of
what is left is just a pile of rust. If anyone has access to either large or
small numbers then please could you leave them round the Belfry. Dont wait for
someone else
act now
before Mr. Nigels scaff on the extension gets it!
Letter(s) to the Editor
Just one letter to deal with in this issue. This from a
fairly (obviously) intoxicated Sir Joseph Bazooka who has something to say
about the cheese formation process. Perhaps straight to bed from The Hunters in future for Mr Bazooka
instead of lurching inexpertly through tumbled furniture to the word processor
Sir,
I have just received My latest B.B., and have just read the
article "Digging For Cheese". I must register My disgust at this
riddiculous and ill informed piece of lierary drivvel. You Sir have failed in
Your duty as Editor (albeit tempoary), by not properly reading the article
through, and spotting the obvious mistake. The author too, has failed in His
duty to properly acertain the true nature of the subject. Anyone, with even
half a brain will know that, by the very nature or its own existance, Cheese is
quite obviously, a METAMORPHIC substance, and NOT as stated in this article
Sedimentary. Please take the required steps to rectify this glaring mistake.
Yours,
Sir Joseph Bazooka, (A.C / D.C.,
VD & Scar)
New Editor responds.
As this was addressed to the previous editor I have
nevertheless taken upon myself to respond to this outburst. The very drunk Sir
Joseph Bazooka is indeed correct. Cheese is indeed a metamorphic rock but must
be laid down as a sedimentary in warm, open, often briny pools, in which the
particulates settle. There is often, after deposition and hardening have
occurred, a period of metamorphoses as seen in the rind aureoles found around
truckles of cheese that have been mined out of the Cheddar limestone matrix. In the best tradition of British fair play I
suggest that both geological positions are correct.
Both the author of the cheese article (BB 523) and Sir
Joseph Bazooka would be wise to read Pierre Piatto del Formaggioas Fromage in Situ, A Study of the Geological
Processes found in the Formation of Cheese, or Laplaces Cheese In The Service Of
argued vociferously about this very issue and it was only after, oddly enough,
a visit to Cheddar that both men were able to conclude that cheese is a
metamorphically altered sedimentary, albeit after a rough game of Tiddley Winks
and several gallons of rude ale.
For everyones benefit I have included the following diagram
of the major period of cheese formation was taken from the Brooke Bond Tea Card
series, Cheeses of the Cosmos, 1966.
The Major Cheese Epochs.
I will consider the formation of cheese debate now closed.
Ed.
Please feel free to submit any correspondence concerning any
article published in the BB, where it will be dutifully read then used to light
the fire in the Belfry.
From The Belfry Table
March 2006
Welcome to a New Year from the Belfry Table! A little snow
fell on Mendip but like money, it didnt hang around for very long. The Hunters
was comfortable on New Years Eve, and a warm evening was rounded off by Roger
and Jackies kind and generous hospitality yet again.
CAVE LEADERS: The
Committee is seeking YOUR HELP on updating just who is a Cave Leader, and to
which caves so PLEASE can you email me as soon as possible so we can issue a
clear and concise list of contacts for access and leaders to not only
but other regions as well.
BELFRY LOCKERS:
Do you use a Belfry Locker? Again the
Committee must know just who owns which locker, we do not want to find
something unpleasant residing in these lockers, and it is apparent that no-one
knows just who uses what. If you do not identify your locker to the Hut Warden
by the March Committee meeting, any unclaimed lockers will be opened, and the
locker emptied and re-allocated to any member with a just requirement for one.
PERSONAL &
OFFICIAL MAIL: Must not be addressed to the Belfry. The reason is
simple, the Club cannot risk being exposed to the possibility of being placed
on any Bad Debt list, or Inland Revenue problem address or similar should any
member incur such a problem.
now be held on the 25th. March at the Hunters Lodge Inn, by Kind permission of
Roger and Jackie Dors, time to be finalised through details from the Caving Sec
or myself by phone.
The Hon.Treasurer has advised the Committee that members
have been overpriced this year for their Insurance, however before you attempt
to obtain a refund
the Club actually covered you at a cost of £3 for each of
the last two years without you being charged
so all is now even!!!
The Committee is seeking to improve communication with
members, to this end we will attempt to issue a brief activity list and news
within a week of each Committee meeting, and we are hoping with Henry
Bennetts assistance to make this available via the Web on a members-only
access and also by an email mailing list.
A Questionnaire is soon going to be issued to all members
seeking their views on various subjects, for example: on what they would like
from their membership, The style and location of the Annual Dinner, their
willingness to provide their contact details for use by MRO in the event of
serious call-outs etc, etc PLEASE If
you have any burning issues contact me ASAP to include your Question in this
venture.
The BELFRY extension is at Roof Timber state! Come and visit, better still, come and help
the team!!!
Best Wishes, time to get down
from the Table! Nig.T
From The Web:
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=367742
Sub-continent’s longest cave system discovered
SHILLONG, MAR 3 (PTI)
The longest cave system in the Indian subcontinent has been
discovered in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills district by an international team of
speleologists.
The team found a cave system over 22.20 km long, which
surpasses the previous known record of 21.55 km of another system existing in
the same district.
”The linking of the Krem um im-Liat Prah cave system to
Krem labbit (Khaidong) to create a single cave system of 22,202.65 m in length
is the longest cave known to date in the Indian sub-continent,” the team
members told a press conference today.
The team comprising 17 members from the UK, two each from
Switzerland and Denmark, one each from Austria and Ireland and five from India
spent three and half weeks in the district focussing on the cave areas of
Shnongrim Ridge near Nongkhlieh area.
This finding surpassed the previous record of the longest
cave system in the sub-continent – the Kotsati Umlawam measuring 21.55 km, said
B D Kharpran Dally, a reputed speleologist in Meghalaya, Between February 7 to
March 1 the team explored 39 caves, mapped and photographed to discover 15,498
metres of new cave passage. Of the 39 caves mapped 36 were entirely new with
only three being cave systems that were partially explored in previous years,
he said.
Terence M Whitaker, a research biologist from the
member, said Jaintia Hills district has the highest concentration of caves in
the sub-continent. Exploration of these would reveal new species of aqua
animals.
BEC Website and Newsletter
Henry Bennett
Some of you may have noticed that over the past few months
the BEC website has been revamped. There is now a wealth of information on the
site including every single BB since the first one was published back in
January 1947. You can now research anything the club has published without all
that mucking about with bits of paper. Weve also now got a forum where you can
post message and comments.
Registration is only available to fully subscribed BEC
members. This means that we can now do a number of things that can only be
viewed by ourselves:
- Latest
BBs online. By default we will not publish BBs to the public for one year
however members can get access to all of them including the very latest
copy. - Online
address book and the ability to send emails securely to other members
without exposing your email address. Clearly some of you may have concerns
about an online address book but by making the site only open to
registered members it has a layer of security. - A
regular Newsletter.
Since the excellent Belfry Bulletin has not been a monthly
publication for many years there have been comments from some members that they
havent been aware of some things that are happening with the Club or on the
hill. The committee has been concerned about this for a while and now plan to
send out a regular newsletter to anyone BEC member who wants to subscribe to
it. This is not intended to replace the Belfry Bulletin, which is the official
journal of the club but to complement it.
So a call to action!
If you want to be kept in touch with the BECs activities register on the
website and check the box to sign up for the newsletter.
How Your Belfry Bulletin Is Put Together
The editor (seated) looks on woefully annoyed as his Printers imp
deals with the late arrival of yet another caving article.
Well for those of you not in the know the new editor reveals
the many secrets of how a BB is put together.
Usually, and not long before the BB reaches your hands there
is a flurry of panicked activity to the accompaniment of waves of frenetic
bashing of numerous heads on walls and boisterous swearing. Sometimes documents
appear not long before the deadline, as illustrated above, and these are
swiftly added into the publication with the use of several nine inch nails,
bouts of vigorous and liberal banging (of
the nails that is) and yards of thirty year old sticky-tape.
With gallons of paste, badly framed photographs, and other
sundry supporting material, such as tiny feint surveys, grim illustrations and
humorous anecdotes, are glued into position in a slapdash manner.
The whole is then thrown into the bin where, if luck shines
on a following wind the whole casual ensemble magically appears at the
printers.
The BB in history: Jacob Jordaens Four Early Cavers reading
the BB
Hollow Hills
Last word
While in conversation with Andy MacGregor using Alexander
Graham Bells marvellous device, he was swift to remind me that the BB issue
after the next is in fact the 500 edition and here was I thinking it was
going to be 526
Its a good job someones keeping tabs! (Do I detect a hint of the subtle blend of
alcohol and previous editors here?)
Anyhoo, with that in mind I think perhaps something special
should be done. If you have any ideas suitable for such a milestone or would
like to see a relevant article or indeed articles then email me with your
suggestions. Yes I know its some way off but a big fat reminder never hurts. I
dont want to get out the infamous editors sharp stick (yes, I now have the
keys to the cupboard that holds that), and start brandishing it at anyone who
chirps I didnt know
Ed.
A Medieval woodcut
showing the inhabitants of the Hollow Hills.