Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Sun Hole
Hob Uid: 194596
Location : Somerset Sedgemoor Cheddar
Grid Ref : ST4673054080
Summary : A cave at Cheddar located circa 120 feet up the cliff face above the car park. Excavations in 1927 and 1951-3 recovered Roman coins, a shale bracelet fragment, and pottery; some Iron Age potsherds; Bronze Age flints and pottery; Neolithic potsherds and a pottery spoon, a leaf-shaped arrowhead, and some human remains associated with a hearth of Neolithic or Early Bronze Age date. A Pleistocene deposit contained animal remains and a few flints of Palaeolithic or Mesolithic date. A radiocarbon date has confirmed the Upper Palaeolithic date of at least some of the faunal remains. Most of the finds are in the museum of the University of Bristol Speleological Society.
More information : [ST 4671 5404] SUN HOLE [G.T.]. (1) Cave, 120' up the cliff, vertically over the car park, excavations 1927 and 1951/3 revealed Roman coins (AD 273-345) and pottery, a few I.A. sherds; B.A., flints and pottery (inc. a globular urn); leaf-shaped arrowhead, Ne. pottery spoon and pottery, and a hearth in a Beaker/NE. A. horizon associated with human remains. This overlaid a Pleistocene deposit which contained faunal remains and a few flint implements of typically late Creswellian facies. Finds in U.B.S.S. mus. (2-5) Sun Hole is in the cliff face on the northern side of the Gorge at ST 46735408. Positioned at 1:2500. (6) The radiocarbon date of the Upper Palaeolithic at Sun Hole is c.10428 BC. (7) Additional references. (8-10)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1960.
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : Tratman, EK and GTD Henderson. First Report on the Excavations at Sun Hole, Cheddar.
Page(s) : 84-97
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Vol(s) : 3 (2), 1928

Source Number : 10
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Page(s) : 10-Nov
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Vol(s) : 126

Source Number : 11
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Page(s) : 102
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Vol(s) : 19

Source Number : 12
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Page(s) : 134
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Source Number : 3
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Page(s) : 61-75
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Vol(s) : 7(2), 1955

Source Number : 4
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Page(s) : 187
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Vol(s) : 4, 1938

Source Number : 5
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Source details : Balch, HE. 1947. Mendip - Cheddar, its Gorge & Caves, p54
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : F1 GHP 05-APR-66
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Source Number : 6a
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Source details : Stanton, WI. 1965. Map of caves of Cheddar.
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : Campbell, J et al. 1970. The Mendip Hills in Prehistoric and Roman Times (Bristol Archaeol Research Group). p11
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Source Number : 8
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Page(s) : 117
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Vol(s) : II

Source Number : 9
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Page(s) : 21-38
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Vol(s) : 16, 1981

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Upper Palaeolithic
Display Date : Upper Palaeolithic
Monument End Date : -10000
Monument Start Date : -40000
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Monument Period Name : Mesolithic
Display Date : Mesolithic
Monument End Date : -4000
Monument Start Date : -10000
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Monument Period Name : Neolithic
Display Date : Neolithic
Monument End Date : -2200
Monument Start Date : -4000
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Monument Period Name : Bronze Age
Display Date : Bronze Age
Monument End Date : -700
Monument Start Date : -2600
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Monument Period Name : Iron Age
Display Date : Iron Age
Monument End Date : 43
Monument Start Date : -800
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 410
Monument Start Date : 43
Monument Type : Cave
Evidence : Enhanced Natural Feature

Components and Objects:

Period : Upper Palaeolithic
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : ANIMAL REMAINS, LITHIC IMPLEMENT
Object Material : Flint

Period : Mesolithic
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : LITHIC IMPLEMENT
Object Material : Flint

Period : Neolithic
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : HUMAN REMAINS, SPOON, VESSEL, LEAF ARROWHEAD
Object Material : Pottery, Flint

Period : Bronze Age
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : LITHIC IMPLEMENT, VESSEL, HUMAN REMAINS
Object Material : Pottery, Flint

Period : Iron Age
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : VESSEL
Object Material : Pottery

Period : Roman
Component Monument Type : Cave
Object Type : COIN, VESSEL, BRACELET
Object Material : Pottery, Shale

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 13205
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Somerset)
External Cross Reference Number : 10396
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 45 SE 11
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1926-01-01
End Date : 1928-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1951-01-01
End Date : 1953-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1966-04-05
End Date : 1966-04-05

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1968-01-01
End Date : 1968-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1977-01-01
End Date : 1984-12-31