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| HER Number: | MDV15285 |
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| Name: | Yealm Bridge Cavern |
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Summary
Yealm Bridge Cavern yielding faunal remains of the last glaciation but no signs of human habitation. Much of the cave has been destroyed by limestone quarrying.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SX 590 519 |
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| Map Sheet: | SX55SE |
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| Admin Area | Devon |
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| Civil Parish | Yealmpton |
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| District | South Hams |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | YEALMPTON |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses
- Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55SE/23
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- CAVE (Palaeolithic - 698000 BC to 8001 BC (Between))
Full description
NMR, SX55SE16 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV175043.
Mudge, W., 1836, Untitled Source, 399-400 (Article in Serial). SDV175042.
Bellamy, J. C., 1839, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV158814.
Moore, E., 1841, On the discovery of organic remains, in a raised beach in the limestone cliff under the Hoe at Plymouth (Unknown). SDV175037.
Pengelly, W., 1870, The literature on the caverns near Yealmpton, 81-105 (Article in Serial). SDV175031.
Yealm Bridge Cavern, not precisely located. Exploration revealed mammalian remains but no signs of human habitation.
Worth, R. N., 1878, On the origin of the ossified deposits in the Oreston caves, 405 (Article in Serial). SDV175032.
The bones of a hyena etc. have been found here, described in Moore.
Worth, R. N., 1880, Recent geological discoveries in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, 363-4 (Article in Serial). SDV175033.
Also bear bones; "the fissure was near the top of the quarry".
Ordnance Survey, 1880s, Ordnance Survey (Cartographic). SDV848.
Site of 'Cavern' shown on OS 25" (1880s) map on the northern side of a large quarry to the southeast of Yealm Bridge.
Bray, R. C., 1964, The caves of Yealmpton (Article in Serial). SDV175041.
Other details: Special publication.
Chamberlain, A. T. & Ray, K., 1994, Yealmbridge, 47-48 (Article in Serial). SDV360554.
Located above the River Yealm, the cave originally had three openings. It is thought that the caves were discovered in 1822 during lime blasting.
The cave was probably discovered in 1822 during blasting for lime. Much of it was destroyed in the 1830s with only portions of the eastern and western chambers remaining. The exact site of the cavern is unknown, being presumably destroyed by quarrying, but is thought to have been near the disused lime kiln.
Large quantities of animal bone were burned in the limekiln before scientific interest was alerted.
The cave contained five layers of deposits. Faunal remains were recovered from layer 5 including hyaena, lion, wolf, bear, fox, glutton, weasel, pig, horse, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, ox, sheep, deer, water rat, mouse, hare/rabbit and duck.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV158814 | Monograph: Bellamy, J. C.. 1839. The Natural History of South Devon. |
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| SDV175031 | Article in Serial: Pengelly, W.. 1870. The literature on the caverns near Yealmpton. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 4 Part 1. 81-105. |
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| SDV175032 | Article in Serial: Worth, R. N.. 1878. On the origin of the ossified deposits in the Oreston caves. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 10. 405. |
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| SDV175033 | Article in Serial: Worth, R. N.. 1880. Recent geological discoveries in the neighbourhood of Plymouth. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 12. 363-4. |
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| SDV175037 | Unknown: Moore, E.. 1841. On the discovery of organic remains, in a raised beach in the limestone cliff under the Hoe at Plymouth. |
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| SDV175041 | Article in Serial: Bray, R. C.. 1964. The caves of Yealmpton. Plymouth Caving Group. 3. |
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| SDV175042 | Article in Serial: Mudge, W.. 1836. Proceedings of the Geological Society of London. 2. 399-400. |
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| SDV175043 | National Monuments Record Database: NMR. SX55SE16. SX55SE. |
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| SDV360554 | Article in Serial: Chamberlain, A. T. & Ray, K.. 1994. Yealmbridge. Plymouth Archaeology. No. 1 May 1994. A4 Paperback + Digital. 47-48. |
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| SDV848 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880s. Ordnance Survey. 25". |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV17739 | Related to: Eastern Torrs Quarry Caves, Yealmpton (Monument) |
| MDV19883 | Related to: LIME KILN in the Parish of Yealmpton (Building) |
| MDV46569 | Related to: Yealm Bridge, Quarry (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events: none recorded
| Date Last Edited: | Oct 3 2019 2:11PM |
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