Summary
Narrow cave entrance at end of sea-washed gully south-west of the Southgate car park. Animal bones were discovered there in the 1970's. Present location of the bones unknown.
Identification Images (0)
Monument Types
- CAVE (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
Description
N.T. surveyor assumed that Forester's cave was a narrow entrance at most 4m high at the end of a cleft in the cliffs south-west of the Sothgate car park. However, there are several smaller cave entrances within the 100m square indicated by the grid reference. The cave entrance is washed by high tides. Valdemar (1970 p113-126) reports the finding of Pleistocene animal bones in the cave. These belong to the Trust as the land was acquired in 1954 but the present location of these finds is unknown.
2003 survey
Only a six figure grid reference was available at the time of the previous survey, within that it was assumed to be a narrow entrance, washed by tides, at most 4m high, although other smaller caves were visible. Davies describes it was a wide entrance, facing SW, 12m high, 10m wide and 8m deep. Alllen & Rutter and Evans describe the cave as S facing, 0.9m high and 1.5m wide, with a passage leading off it 1.5m high and 12.2m long. At the grid reference above was a small south facing triangular entrance with the dimensions given by Allen & Rutter and Evans. The cave sits at the base of a wide open recess in the cliffs. The base of the cave is filled with fallen stone and rubble, the sediment inside appears intact, filling the cave to its roof.
It was discovered and excavated first in 1919 by Egerton Forester, whom the cave was subsequently named after, later excavated sometime prior to 1970 by Valdemar. Material recovered by Forester included the femur of a woolly rhinoceros, Valdemar apparently reports finding Pleistocene animal bones, although their location is unknown.
The cave appears to be washed by high tides, some Holocene deposits are still apparently intact against the western wall.
The tide occasionally washed rubbish up to the cave, including at present a small rusting outboard motor. Above the cave in the rock face are a few climbing pins with the remains of ropes still attached.
References
- SZO15758 - Photograph - black and white: Emma Plunkett Dillon. 01/07/1987. Cave in Pennard Cliff.. 89002.
- SZO50082 - National Trust Report: Philip Poucher. 2002/3. Pennard & Bishopston - The National Trust archaeological Survey, Poucher 2002/3.
- SZO5678 - Unpublished document: E Plunkett Dillon. 1987. Survey of Pennard Cliffs and Bishopston Valley 1987 National Trust.
Designations
None Recorded
Other Statuses and References
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Common Land
- HER/SMR Reference (External): 01425w
- HER/SMR Reference (External): 04713w
- Heritage Coast
- Site of Special Scientific Interest (Biological)
Associated Events
- ENA3008 - Field Survey, Pennard & Bishopston - The National trust Archaeological Survey Poucher 2002/3
- ENA3009 - Field Survey, Pennard Cliffs and Bishopston Valley - Emma Plunkett Dillon 1987
Associated Finds
- FNA658 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
Related Records
None Recorded