Charterhouse Cave
| Charterhouse Cave | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Location | Charterhouse, Somerset |
| OS grid | ST 4774756201 |
| Coordinates | 51°18′09″N 2°45′03″W / 51.302558°N 2.750806°W |
| Depth | 228 m (748 ft) |
| Length | 4,868 m (15,971 ft) |
| Elevation | 255 m (837 ft) |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Access | Locked; access by permit with an approved leader; no novices |
| Cave survey | The Geological Conservation Review |
| Registry | Mendip Cave Registry[1] |
Charterhouse Cave, on the Mendip Hills in Somerset, is the deepest cave in southern England.[2][3][4]
History[edit]
Charterhouse Cave was first excavated in 1972. By 1977 the Sidcot School Speleological Society had reached Bat Chamber,[5] although the first main breakthrough into the system was made in 1982.[6] Active exploration continues and breakthroughs were made in April 2008[7][8] when 300 metres (980 ft) of passage big enough to walk through was discovered, and again when the Portal Pool Sump was passed in May 2009 revealing another 500 m (1,600 ft) of passage.[4] Continued exploration in 2010 and 2011 brought the cave to its current length and depth
Access[edit]
The cave is situated on land owned by Somerset Wildlife Trust. Because of the various well-preserved formations in the cave, the entrance blockhouse is kept locked and access is restricted to those with permits issued by member clubs of the Charterhouse Caving Company.[9] For the same reason, no novices or cavers aged under 16 are allowed to enter.[10][11]
Description[edit]
The cave has three large chambers, Midsummer Chamber, The Citadel, and Times Square; The Citadel is almost as large as the chambers in GB Cave and Lamb Leer.[4][5] There are a number of long, fairly straight passages which are approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) across and the same high.[7]
Various parts of the cave contain delicate formations, including Forbidden Passage, Midsummer Chamber, The Citadel, The Grotto of the Singing Stal, and the First and Second Inlets.[5][6]
When Portal Pool Sump was passed in May 2009, about 500 m (1,600 ft) of new passage was discovered, as well as a number of side-passages. Surveys conducted after the breakthrough in May 2009 show approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft) of passage, with an estimated 500 m unsurveyed plus a number of leads yet to be explored. The surveys have also confirmed the depth at over 200 m (660 ft).[4]
The stream in nearby GB Cave flows into Charterhouse Cave and ultimately rises near Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) away.[3][4]
Fauna[edit]
There is a hole in the concrete blockhouse over the entrance to the cave to allow the entrance of bats.[5]
The insect life found within the cave is fairly typical of caves on the Mendip Hills, including a number of troglophiles and troglobites such as the freshwater shrimp (niphargus fontanus) and the springtail (onychiurus schoetti).[5]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Charterhouse Cave". Mendip Cave Registry & Archive. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
- ^ "Charterhouse Cave". UK Caves database. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- ^ a b "Deepest caves". ukcaves.co.uk. UK Caves database. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Hendry, P., Charterhouse Cave goes on and on, Mendip Times magazine, September 2009
- ^ a b c d e Chapman,P.R.J.; Moody,A.A.D.; Moody,P.D.; Smart,P.L. (1984). "Charterhouse Cave: Exploration, geomorphology and fauna". UBSS Proceedings. 17 (1). UBSS: 5–27.
- ^ a b Irwin, David John; Knibbs Anthony J. (1999). Mendip Underground: A Cavers Guide. Bat Products. ISBN 0-9536103-0-6.
- ^ a b Moody, P. (2008). "Breakthrough by WCC in Charterhouse Cave" (PDF). UBSS Newsletter. 3 (9). UBSS: 1–2.
- ^ Breakthrough by WCC in Charterhouse Cave Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Mendip Caving Group newsletter April 2008,
- ^ "The Charterhouse Area and the Charterhouse Caving Company Ltd". Charterhouse Caving Company Ltd. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ "Access to Caves in Mendip and Wales". University of Bristol Spelaeological Society. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- ^ "Charterhouse". Council of Southern Caving Clubs. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
External links[edit]
- "Charterhouse Cave". Mendip Cave Registry & Archive.
- Picture of the Grotto of the Singing Stal
