What is recorded here

Thirty metres of rock and shadow lie beneath the rough pasture, waiting for a lantern. The first chamber holds a clean clay floor and a narrow breathing hole, but the second passage has lost its roof and spilled into the dark. The caves do not pretend to be grand; they are a small, broken ladder dropped into the earth, still catching the breath of whoever climbs down.

Situated in the NW part of the interior of an enclosure (CL009-022010-), in rough pasture in a relict field system (CL009-022001-). Named ‘Caves’ on the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map, this is one of two Man-made underground passages (see also CL009-022006-, which lies c. 23m to the NNE in an adjoining enclosure (CL009-022008-)). This Man-made underground passage (total L c. 21m; Wth 1–1.85m; H 0.6–1.57m) consists of two drystone-built passages linked by a chamber. The N passage (L 8.2m; Wth 1.2–1.55; max. H 1.6m) is oriented E–W but its E end (L 2m; Wth 1.4m) changes direction and runs NE–SW, under the remains of the wall between enclosures. Access is gained at the NE end of this part of the passage which is filled with rubble; a possible step is visible in the S corner of this section, suggesting that a series of steps lead down to the E-W part of the passage. Only four lintels are in place over the latter section. The side-walls slope in towards the top. The back wall at the W end is curved and this area is partly blocked by stones and briars. Half-way along the S side of the passage a lintelled ope/creep (Wth 1.1m; H 0.9m; D 0.5m), across the base of which there is a drystone wall (H 0.3m), leads to a N–S-oriented chamber (L 6.7m; Wth 1.85m; H 1.57m). Immediately to the S of the ope/creep, the W wall of the chamber curves to the SW (L c. 1.5m) before re-orienting to the S, while the E wall is straight. It is roofed with ten lintels. No corbels are visible on top of the side-walls but, again, they slope in towards the top. The chamber is very clean, with a clay floor. At its S end there is another lintelled ope (Wth 0.9m; H 1m) that leads to the 2nd passage (Wth 1m; min. H 1m) which is largely destroyed, with several roof lintels missing or fallen into the passage. This passage runs SW (L 2m), then S (L 2m), then SE (min. L 2m), but here only the E side is visible. There may have been an entrance to the Man-made underground passage here but it is not extant. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 17 December 2021

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