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

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)