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Monument record MDR15605 - Boat House Cave, Creswell Crags, Holbeck, Nottinghamshire

Type and Period (2)

  • (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • (Victorian to Second World War - 1890 AD? to 1940 AD?)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

Small cave that was only evidenced by a shallow shelter until the 1930s when the lake was drained and examined by Armstrong. The deposits were excavated using explosives and little is known consequently about the stratigraphy, although Pleistocene bone material was recovered. (1) Extensive illicit excavations, all deposits now removed. No finds recorded. Used by Duke of Portland as a boat house. Visible cave is emptied. Possibly there is a lower cave now below the artificially raised water table; this may contain untouched deposits. This cave is at present (unknown date) sealed by a concrete wall which was built in the last century to retain a lake. The remains are safe from disturbance until this wall is removed. (2) The cave has been rifled and blasted taking excavations to below the water table. Deposits below the water are probably sealed and safe. (3) The cave was 'rediscovered' in 1935, when the lake was drained. Armstrong dug an exploratory trench, followed by the use of explosives to remove a concrete floor. A small number of animal bones were found. In 1974, Collcutt excavated a small area and found a few animal bones. In 1975 a local caving club cleared an area for access. No artefacutal materials appear to have been encountered. (4)

Sources/Archives (4)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Jenkinson, R. 1978. The archaeological caves and rock shelters in the Creswell Crags area, Creswell Crags Visitor Centre research report No. 1.
  • <2> Unpublished document: Smith, K, Little, J & Bishop, M. The prehistoric heritage of the Creswell area, a strategy for conservation.
  • <3> Index: Nottinghamshire County Council. 2015. Nottinghamshire Historic Environment Record monument details full report: Boat House Cave, Holbeck (L8699).
  • <4> Monograph: Jenkinson, R. 1984. Creswell Crags: Late Pleistocene Sites in the East Midlands, British Archaeological Reports 122.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 5369 7425 (13m by 12m)
County NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Jun 12 2017 4:34PM

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