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Summary

Windmill hill cavern, brixham aka brixham cavern. Systematic exploration in 1858 revealed a bed of cave-breccia with bones of extinct and recent animals together with worked flints. This deposit brought in by a small engulfed river at a time when the adjacent valleys were about 30m less deep than at the present time.(pengelly, 1865).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX95NW/35
• Old SAM Ref: 10874

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAVE (Lower Palaeolithic to Mesolithic - 698000 BC to 4001 BC (Between))

Full description

Wymer, J. J., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV12439.

The collection of material from the 1874 excavation in the british museum includes a mesolithic pick (wymer).

PENGELLY, 1865, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318727.

Windmill hill cavern, brixham aka brixham cavern. Systematic exploration in 1858 revealed a bed of cave-breccia with bones of extinct and recent animals together with worked flints. This deposit brought in by a small engulfed river at a time when the adjacent valleys were about 30m less deep than at the present time.(pengelly, 1865).

PENGELLY, 1874, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318728.

The cavern measured 40.5m n to s and 30m w to e. A series of galleries and two small chambers with five external entrances. Description of the layers accumulated. Animal bones, totalling 1621, included bear, horse, ox, mammoth, reindeer, rhinoceros, lion, fox, hyena, roebuck, red deer. A list of 36 flints and where found is given with descriptions of some. Also a quartzite pebble believed to be a hammer stone. Human industry finds believed to be early.(pengelly, 1874).

PENGELLY, 1875 AND 1876, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318729.

Later articles clarify some misconceptions by others relating to the exploration.(pengelly, 1875 and 1876).

ROE, 1981, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318730.

Roe discusses artefacts from windmill hill cave, and also (p.103) the stratigraphy of the deposits. One "archaic looking bifacial implement" is described as possibly lower palaeolithic, and a middle palaeolithic "bout-coupe" hand axe is described and illustrated (roe, 1981).

1880S, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318732.

Windmill hill is at sx924560. However, os plans from 1880s to 1960s show it at c. Sx92475602. "bone cavern" on os 1:1250 (1880s) map (os).

Ancient Monuments, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV318733.

Vis=estimated -/-/1990 (ancient monuments) windmill hill cave is a system of galleries and smaller chambers, orientated nw-se and extending some 40m into the devonian limestone outcrop of windmill hill, overlooking brixham harbour. The cave lies mostly beneath 107 mount pleasant road and is accessible via a gated north entrance below the pavement in front of the house. There are 4 other entrances, all blocked and on the w side of the complex. The galleries are up to 4.5m in height and the max width of the cave system is about 30m e-w.

AM, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318734.

The cave was discovered in 1858 and investigations revealed rich faunal remains associated with palaeolithic flint implements. The discovery of flint implements and extinct faunal remains in a cave earth deposit sealed beneath a stalagmite floor provided the first scientifically accepted proof of contemporaneity between humans and various extinct animal species in britain. Over 1600 bones, some apparently split for marrow, others gnawed by animals, and 32 flints were found in the 19c excavations by pengelly. Flints of middle palaeolithic and post-palaeolithic type have been identified in the collection. The palaeolithic finds are believed to come from gravels beneath the case earth and also from within the cave earth itself. Undisturbed deposits of the cave earth remain in the galleries and chambers. The site has been in use as a show cave in the past but is unused at present. The monument includes the whole of the interior of the cave and its deposits but excludes the houses and gardens above the cave. Soil levels overlying the bedrock are also excluded although the fissures within the bedrock are included (am).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318735.

Pengelly, w. /tda/1 pt.4(1865)30-42/the submerged forests of torbay.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318736.

Pengelly, w. /tda/6(1874)775-856/cavern discovered in 1858 in windmill hill, brixham.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318737.

Pengelly, w. /tda/7(1875)279-282/notes on recent notices of the geology and palaeontology of devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318738.

Pengelly, w. /tda/8(1876)148-167/notes on recent notices of the geology and palaeontology of devon.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318739.

Osa=sx95nw17(plan).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318740.

Pengelly, w. /tda/2(1867)129/the antiquity of man in south-west england.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318741.

Pengelly, w. /tda/4(1870)73-77/the ash hole and bench bone caverns at brixham.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318742.

Burnard, r. /vch devon/1(1906)341-343.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318743.

Mus=torquay.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318744.

Roe, d. /the lower and middle palaeolithic periods in britain/(1981) 103,242,243,255.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318745.

Wymer, j. J. /gazetteer of mesolithic sites(cba res rep 20)/(1977)65.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318746.

Mus=bm.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318747.

Delderfield, e. /the story of brixham cavern/(nd)pamphlet,copy in parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318748.

Des=abstract of pengelly's articles by hamlyn parsons/(nd)/copy in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318749.

Des=mrs w. Slack/letter(17/3/1983)in parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318750.

Des=os 25"(1968).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV318751.

Des=os 1:1250(c.1880).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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