Caves

Located in an ecclesiastical enclosure (MA073-011001-). This Man-made underground passage is indicated on the 1919 OS 6-inch maps as ‘Caves’. In the SW quadrant of the enclosure, close to the enclosing wall, there is an opening (Wth 0.57m; H 0.47m) into the W end of a subterranean stone-built chamber (L 4m E-W; H c. 1.4m). The chamber is trapezoidal in plan, narrowing from a width of c. 2m at W to 1.3m at E. The walls are of drystone construction, well built with small and medium-sized stones. It is roofed with massive, overlapping slabs, supported by a course of corbels at the top of the side walls. The floor is covered with earth and loose stones. A low lintelled opening (Wth c. 0.6m), now blocked up, at floor level at the NE corner of the chamber may be a creep opening to N into another chamber or passage. A ground surface, 4m to NE of the opening to the Man-made underground passage, there is a shallow hollow or surface subsidence (max. dim. 2m), which probably indicates a continuation of the Man-made underground passage in this direction. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 2 June 2021