Summary
This cave was not visited as the existence of the site was not discovered until the report was nearly complete. It is located in sheer cliffs below Lewes Castle promontory fort. A potholing club excavating in the back of the cave found a mammoth tusk, rhino bones, wolf bones, hyena teeth and reindeer bones in the upper twelve inches of sediment. The bones are now in the possession of Mel Davies.
Identification Images (0)
Monument Types
- CAVE (Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 10001 BC)
Description
cave was not visited as the existence of the site was not discovered until the report was nearly complete. As described by Mel Davies of the N.C.C. at Oxwich the cave is located in the almost sheer cliffs below Lewes Castle promontory fort. The large (?) entrance is easily accessible. A potholing club excavating in the back of the cave found a mammoth tusk, rhino bones, wolf bones, hyena teeth and reindeer bones in the upper twelve inches of sediment. The bones are now in the possession of Mel Davies.
2003/4 survey
Located at the eastern end of Fall Bay, at the end of the footpath that runs below the eastern side of Lewes Castle promontory. It can be entered though 2 separate entrances, roughly; 4m apart, one facing SW, the other facing NW. the entrances immediately join to form a small chamber with a large amount of disturbed cave earth on the floor, representing the uncast from the excavation of the passageway. The passageway would appear to be about 3m deep before sediments block it.
It was discovered in 1986 by a London potholing club (Marisia Caving Club) who excavated the cave in the pursuit of new passages. During this excavation they uncovered animal remain. These remains were identified by A.Currant of the British Museum (Natural History) as belonging to Wolf, hyena, badger, reindeer, mammoth and woolly rhino. The potholers willingly abandoned their dig when the importance of their finds were realised. The entrance chamber was shown to have no archaeological remains, all the finds apparently coming from the passageway in the upper 12inches of sediment. The majority of the disturbed cave deposits are believed post glacial but removed to a depth at which an interface with Pleistocene deposits might be expected. The retrieved fauna suggest to H.Stephen Green that the cave may represent a mid Devensian hyena den. Although only Pleistocene fauna has been retrieved Own John feels it is possible the cave may contain human remains, and more undisturbed sediment remains within the cave. The bones are now apparently in the possession of the NT.
GGAT prn 2213w refers to the cave, whereas 4690w refers to the finds retrieved from the cave.
References
- SZO10712 - Verbal communication: M Davies.
- SZO23682 - Photograph - black and white: John Latham. 01/02/1987. Mewslade - Lewes Castle cave. 89359/3.
- SZO4757 - National Trust Report: E Plunkett Dillon. 1986. The South West Gower Porperties - Part Two Worms Head, Rhossili Beach and Mewslade.
- SZO50084 - National Trust Report: Philip Poucher. 2003-4. South-West Gower Properties Rhossili-Mewslade 2003-4 - The National Trust Archaeological Survey.
Designations
None Recorded
Other Statuses and References
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
- Common Land
- HER/SMR Reference (External): 2213w & 4690w
- Heritage Coast
- Nature Reserve
- Site of Special Scientific Interest (Biological)
Associated Events
- ENA3014 - Field Survey, The SW Gower properties - Part II, Worms Head, Rhossilli Beach and Mewslade 1986
- ENA3015 - Field Survey, South-West Gower Properties Rhossili-Mewslade, Philip Poucher 2003-4 - The National Trust Archaeological Survey
Associated Finds
- FZO176 - ANIMAL REMAINS (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
Related Records
None Recorded