Holwell Cave

This is probably the longest known cave system in Somerset outside the Quantocks. It has a surprisingly rich history for such a relatively small system. It lies in the Quantock Hills a ridge rising to something like 300 metres between Taunton and the north Somerset coast. Riven by deep coombes particularly on their northern flanks the Quantocks contain isolated outcrops of Devonian limestone. These have been quarried in the past but nowhere to the depth and extent that limestone has been quarried in Devon. This may explain the fact that few caves are known in the Quantocks and that it might not be a conicidence that Holwell Cave was found in one of the largest and deepest of them all. All the caves so far found are phreatic in origin and there is no evidence of any vadose modcification.

Holwell was discovered in the nineteenth century and I feel it would be a tribute to the research conducted by the late Dave Irwin, cave historian, to publish here the text, in total of his history of Holwell Cave:.:

Holwell Cavern, Merridge, Somerset

A brief history by Dave Irwin

Summary

Holwell Cavern discovered in the early years of the 19th century
is one of the few sites where the rare aragonite crystals are to
be found in the UK. It was also one of the minor show caves of
south-west England, frequently visited by members of the county
and local natural history and archaeological societies of the
last century. The author has reviewed all known contemporary
and later manuscripts, books, caving publications and other
sources to prepare this short history.

Holwell Cavern 1 is thought by many to be the only cave in the
Quantocks, but in fact there are a number of other interesting
sites recorded including a once inhabited rock shelter, now lost
- some of these are included in this discussion. 2 Holwell
Cavern is the largest cave in the area and is more akin to the
caves of Devon in that it is formed in the much older Devonian
Limestone; further it is one of the few sites in the United
Kingdom where anthodites, a form of aragonite can be observed. 3
4 To the author's knowledge the resurgence for the small stream
seen flowing through Andrew Crosse's Chamber, and sometimes
through the Lower Series, has not yet been determined. Mike
Storey of the Chelsea Speleological Society 5 suggested that
the stream may resurge through the alluvial deposits in Holwell
Combe, lying to the east. There is another rising close to Great
Holwell Farm first noted by members of the Shepton Mallet
Caving Club [SMCC] in 1959. Mike Thompson noted 6

... There is a fine rising just behind the [Great] Holwell farm
which could possibly be entered by digging, unfortunately the
water is used by the farm, so no permission could be obtained.
...

The cave was accidentally discovered about 1800 by quarrymen.
Andrew Crosse, of Fyne Court, Broomfield, who appears to have
known the cave since its discovery, wrote an account of the site
for inclusion in Reverend William Phelps' The History and
Antiquities of Somersetshire published in 1836. 7 Crosse wrote
:

"About the year 1800 the labourers in a limestone quarry
enlarged an aperture in the rock, which was originally no
greater size than sufficient to admit a dog or fox.'

For sometime it appears that the scientific journals and local
newspapers did not know of the cave's existence for the first
published account that has been found is in the Gentleman's
Magazine for 1817. 8

A Cavern of considerable extent has been discovered at Spaxton,
near Bridgwater. It was visited lately by several scientific
persons, who experienced some difficulty in making their way to
the principal chamber; but they were agreeably compensated for
their trouble, by the effect produced from their lights on the
pendular encrustations of carbonate of lime, which embossed its
roof and sides. Some specimens were brought away; but the owner
of the spot has properly determined to preserve it in its
present state, as a pleasing object of curiosity.

The report is curious for it implies that the cave had only just
been discovered. However, the 1800 date is probably the more
accurate for Crosse stated, in the Phelps' book, that he had
studied a stalagmite basin in the cave to determine the growth
rate of the crystals for about the last thirty five years. 9

The note however almost defies belief in other respects ; Cross
noted : 10

... One of the lateral openings, when first discovered,
contained a small limestone basin of about six inches in depth,
into which water slowly but constantly dropped from the roof.
This, at present, after an interval of thirty-five years,
instead of being a concave basin, has absolutely become convex,
it being filled up with an uninterrupted incrustation of
carbonate of lime, which must have grown within the above
period, to the thickness of seven or eight inches. ...

Both Crosse and David Williams found difficulty in defining the
limestone because of the lack of fossils but both men noticed
and recorded that the aragonite crystals for the most part were
associated with the greywacke slates and the stalactitic
deposits with the limestone beds. The two rocks were,
unusually, adjacent to each other.

The first mention of the existence of the West Series was by
Crosse, who may have entered and explored some, if not all, of
them. Crosse noted that several smaller fissures ' ... which
open nearly at right angles into the main one ...' were to be
seen on the west side.

Science - the middle class interest

From the mid-eighteenth century an interest in all things
natural emerged. It developed partly from the improvements in
agricultural techniques and the expanding wealth of the
businessmen and landowners creating increased leisure time. The
prosperous state of agriculture in the late 18th century gave
great wealth to the clergy and, if they were well favoured by
the bishop or other external sources of influence, they would be
placed in wealthy parishes where they would collect a large
income from the glebe; multiple parishes were encouraged in
order to generate substantial incomes according to the
minister's background and rank, e.g. Rev. David Williams (see
below) was the priest in charge of two parishes bringing him an
annual income of œ1,000. This selection of the clergy by
'preferment' to a wealthy parish or parishes gave the priests an
extremely comfortable living. In return most did little to earn
their income, two or three sermons and perhaps one communion
service would be regarded as a busy year! The burden was placed
upon their curates, and for the most part time 11

...hung heavily on their hands. Some took to drink, some to fox
hunting, some to local government, some to learning. The last is
important and impressive : Berkeley and Butler in philosophy;
Gilbert White in Natural History; Jethro Tull in agriculture ...
They devoted themselves to everything but the administrative
reform of the institution to which they belonged. ...

The study of geology and other topics were largely associated
with proving the Bible's teachings related to the creation as
outlined in the Book of Genesis and the existence of Noah's
flood, or the great deluge, when God cleansed the sins of the
world. Thus when studying the history of 18th and 19th century
caving one encounters many reports and accounts from members of
the church establishment. Important names such as Rev.
Alexander Catcott of Temple Church, Bristol; Rev. Dr. William
Buckland, Dean of Westminster Abbey and Professor of Geology at
Oxford University; Dean Conybeare of Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff
and the Rev. David Williams of Bleadon and Kingston Seymour are
among many who have contributed to our knowledge of caves in
this country.

The Reverend David Williams

The first person of note to explore Holwell Cavern was Williams
[1792-1850], Rector of Bleadon and Kingston Seymour.12 He went
there, presumably with a guide from the neighbouring Great
Holwell Farm, and explored the cave on 1832. He recorded in his
note-book 13

Great Holwell Cave -

May 22nd 1832

A miserable place as a cavern tho' interesting to a Geolt. as
showing the fissure character of the Limestone in its oldest
period with the grauwacke & old sandstone group above it, before
we arrive at its second development in what is commonly called
the carboniferous limestone - its fracture & structure also, is
very akin to the grauwacke &c &c. Nothing compensates you for
perpetual knocks on the head, but the splendid effloresces &
circular chrystal of arragonite, in its delicate & fanciful
arrangements reminding you of the most beautiful frost work on a
winters' morn 14

This limestone appears to have partaken of the same mode of
arrangement of its constituent parts as the grauwacke with which
it is so clearly associated, throughout many of its contiguous
beds. Some of the central strata, are less laminar, and possess
a more irregular & solid fracture, approaching that which
characterises the carboniferous limestone. Minute columns &
plates of a small species of encrinite, but the principal
organic remains are madrepores & other polypifers, but I have
not been able to find any trace of shells - this rock is
abundantly interlaced by veins of calc. spar & arragonite which
by infiltration have formed the most beautiful & delicate frost
work on the ceiling & in the cracks of fissures in it. The lime
obtained from this rock is good for agricultural purposes, & is
used for building, but does not form a cement equal to the lias,
or the Mn Limestone. At too great a heat it fuses into a
vituous slag its slaty structure may depend on the presence of
mica or some characteristic constituent of the adjoining schist.
The cave also contains stalagmites & stalactites.

Andrew Crosse

Andrew Crosse (1784 - 1855), a wealthy country landowner, was
involved sometime in mining activities and spent much of his
life in the pursuit of scientific study, in particular the
phenomena of electricity and crystallography. Close to his home
at Broomfield was Holwell Cavern and he, like Williams, was
fascinated by the variety of the aragonite formations displayed
there. He led a life of very mixed successes, at one time was
recognised as 'an electro-chemical philosopher of eminence',
Thing though became extraordinarily difficult when he published
a paper on the possible origins of insect life from
electro-chemical experiments. For this Crosse was vilified by
the scientific establishment forcing him to become virtually a
recluse at Fyne Court. His paper on the subject was, in his own
words

... met with so much virulence and abuse ... in consequence of
these experiments, that it would seem as if it were a crime to
have made them. ...

Crosse's description of the cave, 1851

Crosse later expanded his 1836 description and indicated that by
1850 the cave had been partially converted into a show-cave.
Steps had been cut in the passage floor leading down into Andrew
Crosse's Chamber and the passage widened. Easing the way to the
end chamber resulted in the cave being stripped of the finest of
the aragonite displays. Crosse noted 15 16

... The entrance into the cave has its roof and sides covered
with stalactitic carbonate of lime, and you descend several
steps, which have been hewn in the rock to allow better ingress
; and the main fissure has likewise been widened artificially
for the same purpose. The roof and sides of the western end at
more or less covered with snow-white crystals of arragonite, in
great variety ... Water is constantly dropping from the
projections of the roof at the western end, and the arragonite
would be slowly increasing were it not for the depredations
committed on it for some time past by collectors of specimens,
who, not contented with fracturing it in all directions, have
partially blackened the roof by the smoke of candles. Very large
stalactites and stalagmites also have been removed, so that the
cavern presents a very different appearance from what it
originally did when first discovered. ...

Shortly after his death in 1855, Cornelia, Crosse's second wife,
published a biography of the man using many of his notes to
illustrate his experiments. Unusually, she had a scientific
disposition, had helped Crosse with his experiments in his later
life, and was thus able to lay before the public a clear and
concise account of his experimental work. 17 Crosse was
interested in a wide range of subjects beyond his mainstream
interest and these included early experiments to harness the
power of lightning and involvement with the design and study of
flying machines in association with Stringfellow at Chard,
Somerset, including an embryo helicopter concept. He was known
locally as 'Philosopher Crosse' 18 and his portraits are to be
found in Edward Smith's Quantock Life and Rambles. 19

During the late 19th century guides were employed to conduct
visitors around the cave. 20

... As the entrance is barred by an iron gate, it will be
necessary to visit the farmhouse at Great Holwell and secure the
services of the janitor. The cavern - according to our guide -
sixty yards in length; the breadth from four to twenty feet;
while the height is from five to thirty. In several places
however, impending crags oblige the visitor to bend nearly
double, and to escape a broken head requires some care. The
beauty of the spot is due to crystals of white and pale pink
arragonite (now somewhat sullied by smoke of lamp and candle),
minute spars which thickly encrust the roof, while masses of
stalagmite have formed whimsical objects similar to those in the
larger caves at Cheddar. Here are seen the 'loaf', the
'elephant's ear' and other creations so eagerly sought in the
grand caverns of the Mendips. Another aperture branches off
about midway on the right. This is only accessible on the hands
and knees, an uncomfortable mode of progression, and by no means
recommended, as the floor is anything but clean. Traces of
Reynard may be detected in the softer spots, and bats flutter in
numbers within an inch of the visitor's head, or hang from the
roof. The cave is fairly dry except at the extreme end, where
there is a small spring, and in winter possesses an atmosphere
far warmer than the outer air. I remember exploring it when a
thin coating of snow lay on the hills above, and the keen
northern blast cut like a knife, and was surprised at the
contrast in temperature. The guide said that the cavern was as
good as a weather-glass, as it invariably became wet before
rain. At the time of my visit it was dry, and I remarked that
no rain, beyond a few drops, fell for several days. ...

In 1904 Beatrix Cresswell wrote that the cave was locked, 21
and that those

... who intend to see Holwell Cavern should either be provided
with candles and matches, or ask for a light at the farm, where
they will be able to borrow a stable lantern. Thus provided,
and furnished with the key ... It is a weird journey if taken in
solitude, and it needs nerve to plunge alone down the damp steps
and into the very heart of the hill. The passage, like many cave
passages, is low and damp; pursued far enough, it leads into a
good-sized chamber, where the formations are fine, and where
there is a pool of water. ...

Another guide book described the cave as being ' ... rather
inconvenient of access.' 22 As late as 1934 references
were still being made to the site being a show-cave. Maxwell
Fraser wrote 23

... Holwell Cavern with its stalactites and stalagmites, which
is not now open to the general public owing to the depredations
of visitors in previous years. ...

Baker's visit

Though mentioned the cave, in passim, in his 1898 lecture, The
Caves of Somerset, to the Wells Natural History and
Archaeological Society there is no evidence that he actually
visited the cave. Sometime between 1903 and the publication of
The Netherworld of Mendip in 1907, Ernest Baker visited the cave
and his account formed a chapter in the book. Information was
in short supply and Baker had to rely on an account ' ... over a
century old ...' Having fortuitously found an old poacher who
knew the location of the cave, they approached the entrance to
find that it was gated and locked with a padlock and chain.
Equally convenient the chain was broken and therefore the
'poacher' was not required to fetch the key, thus by saving time
cut the cost of his hire! Eventually reaching Andrew Crosse's
Chamber Baker commented that the unusual feature of the site was
the close contact of the limestone with the 'greywacke' slate.
Baker noted that the aragonite crystals emerged from the bands
of slate in the cave whereas the conventional speleothems were
deposited from the limestone. 24 Photographs taken of the
formations, Baker and his companions began the first recorded
exploration of the side passages that run parallel with Main
Passage. A few of the West Series tunnels were also investigated
including a '... bell chamber ...' where initials and dates had
been left some twenty years before, c.1885. 25

Christopher Francis Drake Long

Apart from Baker's visit, Long's involvement with Holwell Cavern
initiated the first serious serious exploration and study of the
cave. A Cambridge University medical student, Long, became
obsessed with caves and caving, spending all his available spare
time in the High Peak or in the Yorkshire Dales. His parents
lived near York and so either area was within easy reach.
Whilst at Cambridge he formed and became the Honorary Secretary
of The Troglodytes. 26

During May - June 1923 Long and his parents came to Somerset on
an extended holiday staying somewhere near Bridgwater. Having
made his way to Wells, he introduced himself to Balch who
suggested that, because of its close proximity, Holwell Cavern
ought to be a good place to visit.27 Whether Balch actually
suggested that Long surveyed the cave, is open to doubt.
However, this is precisely what he did - singlehandedly! The
finished survey, of which there were two copies, each being
slightly different, 28 which included the plan, some local
elevations and passage sections. One of the copies he
presented to the Wells Natural History and Archaeological
Society [WNHAS] and the other left in his records at Cambridge.
Long's survey presentation is extraordinarily good and it is a
natural successor to the work of Harold Broderick and J. Harry
Savory.

For some time Balch pondered on what to do with the Long survey.
Eventually a small party of WNHAS members, led by Arthur
Pryor, visited the site and checked out the accuracy of the
survey. Pryor reported that the survey was a remarkable piece
of work and that they had 29

... explored all the passages and chambers as indicated on Mr.
Long's plan. Although it is not possible to prove it is exact
in every particular without re-surveying the whole ... from our
observations we are of the opinion that it is very accurate. We
consider that Mr. Long's plan is really a wonderful piece of
work., specially when it is remembered that a number of the
passages of which he has given both the plan and section can
only be negotiated with great difficulty.

The survey comprised the Main Passage leading from the entrance
to Andrew Crosse's Chamber and the whole of the West Series and
was published in the WNHAS Report for 1932.

Digging and a new survey

Apart from the WNHAS publication of Long's survey little was
written about the cave except for passing mention in local or
Somerset tour books.

Two visits were planned by members of the newly formed Wessex
Cave Club for 10th February 1935 and 18th April 1937, a short
report of the latter trip appeared in the WCC Circular No. 23
(Old Series) in which 30

... a large party was let loose in the maze of narrow passages
which is to be found in Holwell Cave. While some members of the
party confined themselves to the larger holes others spent the
afternoon trying to force their bodies through tiny fissures
obviously too small for them ...

The Stride brothers gave a brief description in Britain
Underground, 31 the first general cave guide-book published in
the U.K. giving brief cave descriptions of the major sites in
all caving regions.

During the early 1950s the site became known to a group of
Minehead scouts under their troop leader, Henry Evered, who
became interested in minor excavations in the cave and opened
the notorious 'Bunghole' Series. 32 The little chamber at the
end of this short series was excavated by another scout group,
this time, from Bristol, the 100th Bristol - St. Edmund's Rover
Crew, who worked under the direction of WCC members including
Charles Bryant. Under their 'leader', Bryan Marshall-Scott, the
scouts succeeded in extending the cave a further 20 feet. Much
later, in 1965, pupils, N. Johnson and T. Brent, from Brymore
School, Cannington, were digging in the Lower Series beyond the
notorious Bung Hole. 33 Eventually, by the end of 1967, they
were to connect these passages with Andrew Crosse's Chamber much
to the relief of many who feared, and some still do, that
squeeze!

Charles Bryant, a WCC member, presented the first serious post
2WW paper on the cave up-dating with the new extensions. He,
assisted by his wife, Alice, A.R.Griffin and B.M. Scott,
prepared a new survey of Holwell Cavern between 1955 and 1958
and eventually made it available through the Mendip Survey
Scheme to be sold as a separate sheet. The publication of the
survey awakened new interest in the cave in much the same way
Bryant had generated further interest in Quaking House Cave near
Milverton. 34

Discovery of the East Series

In the early 1960s a group of SMCC members living in the
Bridgwater area made several trips to Holwell Cavern, a
convenient site for mid-week evening trips. On one such trip,
late in 1963, Roger Biddle and Martin Mills inspected a cluster
of potential sites on the east side of Main Passage. In doing so
they discovered a number of passages did that not appear on the
Bryant survey. A large, enthusiastic party returned, in
February 1964, to re-investigate these passages. Another,
unknown, group of diggers had made ' ... one of the passages
negotiable to a small chamber.' 35

Later, in May 36 1964, Bill Tolfree armed with a trowel and
crowbar returned to the chamber and attacked a squeeze [Shepton
Squeeze] in its north corner where he eventually entered twenty
foot of new passage. Passing through, Tolfree arrived at a
T-Junction and, to his utter astonishment found his 'virgin'
passage had been violated ! On the wall was inscribed 'H Smith,
B. Sullivan, and -?- Cornford, 1963' ! 37 How then had this
party reached this point ? There were no obvious passages
leading off Main Passage. Tolfree and Bryan Ellis returned on a
number of occasions during the next couple of weeks exploring
and surveying the new series.

Eventually the mystery of the inscription was solved following a
systematic search - the unknown party 38 had reached beyond the
chamber via a high level rift off the entrance passage to the
series which had been thought, by the SMCC cavers, to reconnect
with Main Passage. Leaving lighted candles no light was seen as
they left the cave. The passage was further investigated and
surveyed revealing that the rift passage ran parallel to Main
Passage and connected with a northerly section of East Series.
In all, some 275ft of new passage had been explored and
surveyed. 39 It was intended that the survey of the new area
should be attached to the existing Bryant survey - though the
constricted nature of the East Series was such that only a CRG
Grade V survey could be made; the Bryant survey had claimed to
be fulfilling the requirements of CRG VI survey.

The published survey stimulated interest in the site
particularly to a group of Taunton based cavers among whom were
Chipchase of the Cerberus Speleological Society and R. Pyke and
T. Robinson. They were quick to notice that an entrance to the
east of the main entrance led into a small blind chamber. An
on-site inspection of this feature found that the chamber was
not blind and that a tight open passage seemed to continue into
the distance. Did this connect with the recently discovered
East Series ?

The Taunton group forced the squeeze at the end of the chamber
past a wedged boulder and entered a section of new passage that
was eventually connected to the East Series. The lower section
of the new area contains a number of pristine anthrodites,
fortunately tucked high up in narrow rift passages giving them
full protection. The new extension was widely reported in the
caving press, 40 one included a sketch survey. The SMCC
surveyors visited the new section of the East Series in July and
a CRG Grade V survey prepared ready for publication in their
club journal later that year. 41 Ellis noted in the SMCC Hut
Log entry of the 9th July 1965 42

... the entrance is tight (damn nigh Ellis proof) but once
through the passage becomes larger. ... The total passage length
was approximately 140 feet ...

In the autumn of 1966 John Iles, with Ellis, investigated a
small dig site in Andrew Crosse's Chamber but after a few
digging trips this proved to be an alcove. 43

The 1967 survey

The original intention had been to attach the SMCC survey of the
East Series to Bryant's previously published survey. However,
large differences appeared when the two surveys were compared.
Ellis noted that 44

... a large discrepancy was found both in the direction of the
Main Passage leading to Andrew Crosse's Chamber and in the
direction and shape of the passages leading to the discoveries.
... Shortly afterwards a further extension to the East Series
was opened up and this extension was again surveyed by Ellis and
Tolfree ... As the survey by Bryant now showed only about half
of the known cave, it required redrawing to include the recent
extensions of the East Series. But as errors had already come
to light ... it was thought better to re-survey the remainder of
the cave. This would have to be done at a better grade than the
6 claimed by Bryant and so the new grading of 6sD was chosen,
not without some trepidation in view of the surveying conditions
to be found in the cave. ...

Thus between July 1966 and March 1967 the SMCC members worked in
the cave gathering the necessary measurements and the results
published in their club journal mid-1967 and the detailed survey
made available through the Mendip Survey Scheme. 45,46 A full
discussion of the differences existing between all three surveys
are discussed elsewhere.47 The altitude of the cave entrance
was 'tied back' to a local bench mark using a staff and level by
Mills and Tolfree on the 3rd December 1966. 48

Cerberus digging

Two Cerberus Spelaeological Society members, Nick Chipchase and
Pete Rose, toiled away at the various extremities of the cave,
mainly in the East series throughout 1965 to 1967 with little
success. Their initial point of attack lay at the stream sink in
Andrew Crosse's Chamber but their activity achieved little
except to permanently divert the stream away from the dig site
into another point of engulfment ! The Cerberus commenced
digging at two other sites; at one in the southernmost point of
the East Series the pair excavated to a depth of 12ft
encountering three rifts opening out at the bottom. The
right-hand rift, led, via a 6ft crawl, to a constriction at the
bottom of which stones could be heard to fall into water. - a
constriction at this point was blasted with little result. 49,
50, 51 Later, in March 1968, Chipchase and Rose returned and,
after the use of chemical persuasion by Peter Glanvill, aided
and encouraged by Luke Devenish, the bang opened up a very tight
squeeze giving way to a 10 feet long, 4 foot high dip controlled
chamber, the floor of which was sloping away at 45 degrees. The
chamber contains nice aragonite clusters; three potential
digging sites were noted including a deep narrow sump; the whole
extension became known as the Cerberus Extension. 52 The
largest passage, led uphill and the Cerberus 'ferret' reported
53

... it leads to another sump and a junction of passages. Quite
a strong draught comes out of this hole.

The Cerberus SS intended to clear the boulders in the floor to
investigate the possibility of a low level passage but the site
was eventually abandoned because of the difficult approach
squeeze.

Holwell Cavern II

The discovery of potential cave digging sites is sometimes just
chance. Such an occasion arose in February 1969, when Peter
Glanvill and a friend were intending to visit Holwell Cavern
'for an exercise trip'. Descending into the quarry by the usual
path and 54

' ... before we had even got near the cave we were side-tracked
by a rather interesting feature about 15 yards from the path
... on the left. A stream flowed down the cliff, and sank at
its base with a gurgling sound. ... '

Assuming this stream to be that often seen in the lower series
of Holwell Cavern it seemed a good reason to make it the latest
club dig. Digging commenced but they found that the stream was
not really sinking at this point but running through the
sub-soils to a point round the corner and lower down. However,
after a few attempts at 'chase the stream' they sunk a trench
and during April when conditions were drier they opened up a
trench at the end of which

a large hole about 6 feet deep appeared ... the walls of the dig
had become very unstable and suddenly collapsed ... sealing the
hole for the time being. We ... consoled ourselves in the
nearby pub and hence returned home. Three days later ...
[after] some hard digging we reached our hole ... in the
meantime [we] stabilised the wall of the dig with barrel staves.
We shoved the smallest member of the party into the hole ...

who reported that he was in a 10 foot long narrow rift partially
filled with spoil from the digging above. However this was
eventually cleared out and on the 20th April the diggers reached
an impossibly tight squeeze through which they noted a slight
widening of the passage containing a few fine stalactites.
Glanvill commented that until the squeeze is forced by a small
person ' ... exploration is halted. ' The site is located in
the quarry immediately opposite the entrance to Holwell Cavern.

Holwell Combe Quarry Cave

As Chipchase has pointed out, Holwell Cavern is not an isolated
cave in the Quantocks and he described another small cave in the
abandoned and overgrown Holwell Combe Quarry; 55 two small sites
are known in an abandoned quarry near Aisholt. 56 No historical
detail is known of Holwell Combe Quarry Cave, a short, low cave,
but it is assumed to have been opened by quarrymen during the
latter part of the operational life of the quarry. It was first
mentioned in speleological literature in 1967. 57 58

Acknowledgements:

The author would like to acknowledge the help given by Dennis
Parsons of the Somerset County Museum, The Castle, Taunton,
Somerset to access the David Williams' notebooks and maps, and
to Don Mellor, librarian of the Craven Pothole Club for data
relating to the Long survey. Also thanks to Steve Craven (South
Africa), Bryan Ellis, Nick Chipchase, Peter Glanvill, Tony
Jarratt, Martin Mills, Graeme Osborne - Wells Natural History
and Archaelogical Society Librarian, Chris Richards, Peter Rose,
Trevor Shaw and William Stanton for their help and comments.

D.J. Irwin, Townsend Cottage, Priddy, 12th March 1996

Facsimile of part of the Reverend David Williams' note-book
entry relating to Holwell Cavern, 1832.

Reproduced by kind permission of the Curator of the Somerset
County Museum, Taunton. Scale : x2 approx.

Holwell Cavern, c.1851

from a print published in the Somerset Archaeological and
Natural History Society Proceedings for 1851, Part ii, page 15

Holwell Cavern, Main Passage, looking towards the entrance

[from a picture postcard in the author's collection]

Part of Christopher Long's 1923 survey of Holwell Cavern

Reproduced by kind permission of the Wells Natural History and
Archaeological Society

Facsimile of the cover sheet to Christopher Long's Holwell
Cavern survey, 1923

[from the Cambridge University copy]

Holwell Cavern, 1967 Simplified survey based on that by Ellis
et al.

dig

Cerberus Extension

Shepton Squeeze

Part of the SMCC 1964 East Series survey showing the 'blind'
chamber near the entrance before it was examined by Chipchase,
Pyke.and Robinson

From SMCC Journal Series 3(8)

1 NGR : ST/2105.3398; Surveyed length 510 metres and a depth of
13 metres.

2 Page, John Lloyd Warden ; 1890, An Exploration of Exmoor.
London : Seeley ; [ii] + xv + 318pp, map, illus, index [Men Bib
Pt II, No.551] [Cothelstone Hill Cave]

p.275 : ... This combe was within living memory the abode of a
modern cave-dweller, known as Blackietops or Blackatops, who
lived a solitary life beneath a rock in the hillside, and was
famous throughout the country-side for his eccentricities. The
cave is now filled with

earth. ...

3 Aragonite has also been found in GB Cave (Donavan, 1943) and
Lamb Leer Cavern on Mendip (Baker, Ernest A. and Balch, Herbert
E., 1907) and also to be found in Napp's Cave, Berrynarbor,
North Devon (Oldham, A.D., 1972)

Donovan, Desmond T, 1943, The stalactites of G.B. Cave. Proc
Univ Bristol Spel Soc 5(2)119-123(for 1943) figs

Baker, Ernest A. and Balch, Herbert E., 1907, The Netherworld of
Mendip. Bristol : J. Baker, Clifton, xii + 172pp, illus, map,
index

Oldham, A.D., Oldham J.E.Anne. and Smart, James, 1972, The
Limestones and Caves of Devon. Crymych, Dyfed : Anne Oldham,
xviii + 134 + [8] + vi; maps, surveys, illus

4 Cullingford, Cecil H.D., 1953, British Caving. London :
Routledge and Kegan Paul. xvi + 468pp, maps, surveys, illus.
[2nd ed, 1962, xvi + 592pp]

5 Storey, M., 1976, Rumblings in and on Holwell Cavern,
Merridge, Somerset. Chelsea Spel Soc Ntr 19(3)38-40(Dec), survey

6 Biddle, Roger and Ellis, B.M.(eds), 1970, Extracts from the
S.M.C.C. Hut Log Books. Part Two : Volumes 3. (May 1958 - July
1960). SMCC Occ Pap (5), 31-66(Apr) figs, surveys [Holwell
reference, p.45-46]

7 Phelps, Rev. William, 1836, The History and Antiquities of
Somersetshire. London : printed by H.L. and R.B. for Thomas
Basset. [xiii] + 108 + [vii]pp, illus, index

8 Anon, 1817, [Holwell Cavern]. Gentleman's Magazine, part ii,
Volume 87 [July-December 1817], page 272, column 1. [It is
possible that this is a reprint from a local newspaper]

9 It should also be noted that caves were of little interest to
the scientific society unless they were associated with bone
deposits e.g. Banwell Bone Cave or those at Uphill,
Weston-super-Mare. Caves displaying stalactitic formations such
as those at Cheddar were considered 'curiosities'.

10 Phelps, William, 1836, [as above], p.28.

Crosse repeated this account in his paper of Holwell Cavern
published in the 1852 Somerset Arch Nat Hist Soc Proceedings for
1851 (see below). In this paper the time interval of thirty
five years remained unchanged; it is felt that this anomaly was
an oversight by Crosse and not intended to deceive.

11 Plumb, J.H., 1966, England in the Eighteenth Century
(1714-1815). The Pelican History of England. Harmondsworth :
Penguin Books. 224pp [1950, 1966 reprint]

12 The Rev. David Williams is better known for his
archaeological work at the caverns of Uphill, Hutton, Bleadon,
Banwell, and at other sites on Mendip and in Bristol at the
Durdham Down Fissure, in the 1820s and 1830s. Williams' major
work lay in the study of the geology of Somerset, Devon and
Cornwall. His letter to Rev. William Patterson of Shaftesbury,
dated 16th February, 1829, which summarised the bone discoveries
made at these caves was privately published that year.

Williams, Rev. David, 1829, Some Account of the Fissures and
Caverns hitherto discovered in the Western District of the
Mendip Range of Hills. Shaftesbury : printed by John Rutter.
16pp, surveys.

13 Williams, Rev. David, 1832, [A description of Holwell Cavern]
in [Volume 2 of Notebooks], Notebooks, 1832-1849 held in the
Somerset County Museum, The Castle, Taunton. Ref. No.
TTNCM:121/1992 (housed in four large box files)

14 The 19th century spelling of aragonite = arragonite - all
transcripts faithfully reproduce that spelling.

15 Crosse, Andrew 1852 Holwell Cavern, SANHS Proceedings for
1851, p15-32

16 Crosse, Andrew 1852 Appendix to Paper on Holwell Cavern.
SANHS Proceedings for 1851, p123-124

17 [Crosse, Cornelia A.H. ], 1857, Memorials, scientific and
literary, of Andrew Crosse, the electrician. London : Longman;
8vo, ix + 360pp [includes his poem 'My Native Hills' - part
reprinted in The British Caver No.42, p.5-6]

18 Greswell, William H.P., 1903, The Land of Quantock. Taunton
: Barnicott & Pearce. viii + [ii] + 308p, maps, illus, index ;
p.14

19 Smith, Edward H., 1939, Quantock Life and Rambles. Taunton :
Barnicott, the Wessex Press. [xii] + 127ppp, maps, illus [2nd
imp. 1941; [2nd ed]. 1944; 3rd ed 1945]

20 Page, John Lloyd Warden, 1890, An Exploration of Exmoor ... ,
London : Seeley. [ii] + xv + 318pp, map, illus, index.
[Holwell Cavern p.277] [Weston-super-Mare Library Ref : S9.EXM]

21 Cresswell, Beatrix, 1904, The Quantock Hills. Bristol :
William Georges; London : The Homeland Association [2nd ed.,
1907 and 3rd ed., 1920] [Holwell Cavern on pp 14-16; extract in
The British Caver 35 p.9, 1962]

22 Wade, G.W. & Wade, J.H., Somerset. London : Methuen;
various editions : 1907 - 1950

23 Fraser, Maxwell, 1934, Somerset. London : Great Western
Railway. x + 166pp, map, illus, index

24 Baker was not the only writer to observe this phenomenon.
Earlier writers including Crosse had noted the same; their
confusion lay in defining the type of limestone that was exposed
here. Today it is acknowledged as Devonian Limestone, hence the
cave is generally related to the caves found in the south Devon
region.

25 Pers Comm with Bryan Ellis, Peter Glanvill, Peter Rose, Nick
Chipchase and Martin Mills failed to identify the location of
these inscriptions. From Baker's description it would seem to
be the small enlargement at the junction near the Bung Hole.

26 Reckett, Nick, 1972, Half a century on. Cambridge Univ.
Journal, p.35-40

27 William Stanton, pers comm.

28 The first is a copy lodged in the Cambridge Univ CC Library;
the other has been lost but was reproduced in the MNRC Report
for 1932

Pryor, Arthur, 1932, Holwell Cavern. Mendip Nat Res Comm
Rep.(25)46-47, survey [C.F.D. Long survey plan and passage
sections.]

29 Pryor, Arthur, 1932, [as above]

30 Anon, 1964, Wessex Cave Club, Volume One. 146pp, surveys
[reprint of WCC Circulars (Old and New Series)

31 Thornber, Norman, Stride, A.H. & R.D. and Myers, J.O., 1953,
Britain Underground. Dalesman Publishing Company & Blandford
Press, 1953, 246pp, maps

32 The 'Bunghole' is a tight, twisting, hand-free, uphill
squeeze that is a serious undertaking for most cavers except for
those of a very small. stature.

33 Brent, T, 1967, Holwell Cave. The Spur
2(5)226-227(Christmas) survey [Digging to connect Lower Series.
The Spur = magazine of Brymore School, Cannington, Somerset]

34 Bryant, Alice R., Bryant, T.Charles and Griffin, Alan R.,
1960, Holwell Cavern, Quantock. WCC Journal 6(76)54-59(Nov
1959/Mar 1960) survey.

A simplified version of this survey was also prepared by Phillip
Davies (WCC)

35 Ellis, Bryan M., 1964, Holwell Cavern, the East Series.
SMCC Journal Series 3, No.8, p.7-14, survey

36 The actual date of Tolfree's breakthrough is unknown except
that it occured about one week earlier that 5th May 1964 when
Ellis and Tolfree returned to carry out a survey of the area.

37 Ellis, Bryan M., 1964, [as above]

38 Though never established, it is thought that they may have
been pupils at Brymore School, Cannington..

39 Ellis, Bryan M., 1964, [as above]

40 Oldham, Anthony D. [ed], 1964, Holwell Cave [in] The Mendip
Caver. Vol. 1 Number 8, p.1 (Dec), reprinted in British Caver
No.41

41 Ellis, Bryan M., 1965, Holwell Cave, Quantock. Survey of an
Extension to the East Series. SMCC Journal Series 3, No.10,
17-18, survey

42 Ellis, Martin [ed], 1994, The S.M.C.C. Hut Logs. Volume Five
... 1965 SMCC Journal Series 9(6)252-264(Spring), surveys

43 Ellis, Martin [ed], 1995, The S.M.C.C. Hut Logs. Volume Five
... 1966 SMCC Journal Series 9(9)367-374(Autumn), surveys

44 Ellis, Bryan M., 1967, A New Survey of Holwell Cavern. SMCC
Journal Series 4, No.3, 11-18, survey

45 Ellis, Bryan M., 1968, Survey of Holwell Cavern 1964-1968.
Bridgwater : B.M. Ellis, MS, 126ff SMCC Library (survey field
notes)

46 Bryan Ellis has pointed out that the name 2D Tube in the
western series is not Two Dimensional but an abbreviation for
Tuppenny Tube, i.e. two pence of the old or imperial currency in
use up to 1970 (refer to 1967 survey).

47 Ellis, Bryan M., 1967, [as above]

48 Ellis, Martin [ed], 1995, [as above]

49 Rose, Peter, 1967, Our dig in Holwell Cave, Quantock.
Cerberus Spel Soc Ntr (14)[2-3](April)

50 Rose, Peter, 1967, More News of the dig in Holwell Cave.
Cerberus Spel Soc Ntr (15)[1-2](July)

51 [Chipchase, Nick], 1968, Recent work carried out in Holwell
Cave. Mendip Caver 3(12)141 (March)

52 Chipchase, Nick, 1968, New Discovery in Holwell Cave. Mendip
Caver 4(2)13-14 (May), survey

53 Glanvill, Peter, 1968, Holwell Dig : The Breakthrough.
Cerberus Spel Soc Ntr (17)2-3(Aug)

54 Glanvill, Peter, 1969, A new dig at Holwell. Cerberus Spel
Soc Ntr (19)[8-9]

55 NGR: ST/213.337; length 40 feet.

56 NGR: ST/193.362; total length of both caves about 50 feet,
depth 15 feet. The two sites are located one above the other and
known as the Aisholt Upper and Lower Cave. The site is once
again being dug chasing a powerful draught (1995-6).

57 Rose, Peter, 1967, [as above]

58 Chipchase, Nick, 1967, Holwell Cave, Great Holwell,
Quantocks. The British Caver (46)11-12, survey [Holwell Combe
Quarry Cave]

'

The approach to the cave which is beyond the caver in a wooded quarry
The too tight far east entrance	The East Series surface entrance	The Tradesman's Entrance (now covered by landfill)
Entering the Main Chamber	Main Chamber	Main Chamber
A rift in the Lower Series (now accessible from near the Main Chamber)		In the Lower Series near the Bunghole
	The old gate used as supporting iron work at the entrance to the East Series
Mark Gregory admiring aragonite flowers in the East Series	Michael Glanvill and the aragonite	Ken Gregory somewhere in the East Series
Richard Peacock in the squeeze into Cerberus Chamber	The Shepton Squeeze in the East Series	Peter Glanvill working in to open the squeeze into Cerberus Chamber

Quaking House Cave

This 300 metre long cave system lies well off the beaten track near the village of Milverton in north west somerset.This phreatic system have formed in dolomitc conglomerate and consists of a rectangular maze of rifts crawls and bedding planes. In 1977 the South Somerset Caving Club based in Taunton excavated a squeeze to find some well decorated crawls and shaft descending a rift to a too tight streamway.

Scottish Caving    (Animation)	Mendip Caves	Caves of the Forest of Dean	Southern Irish Caves	Devonshire Caves