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Summary

Shelter Cave is part of the Kitley Cave complex at Western Torrs

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55SE/105/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAVE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Neolithic - 698000 BC to 2201 BC (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158896.

Des=chamberlain a,t, + coard, r. /an early neolithic site at yealmpton/(29/1/1996)/in pf.

CHAMBERLAIN + COARD, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV159392.

Partial skeleton of neolithic adult probably female was excavated in 1995. Evidence suggests individual was initially deposited ina fissure in the cave in an intact state. A single flint flake was also excavated (chamberlain + coard).

Chamberlain, A. T. + Ray, K., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV30257.

Kitley shelter cave. Entrance 3m wide and 1m high about 8m above present floor of the quarry in se face of the quarry. There is a 6m long chamber, connecting with a 0.6m high passage leading 5m to an exit in a boulder field. Excavations undertaken this century. The boulder field exit is still accessible. Burkitt found an ash layer 15cm thick with a 1.5m thick sequence of deposits in the entrance of the cave. Finds include upper palaeolithic flint flakes in and under the ash layer. Also human arm bones and faunal remains (chamberlain + ray).

DATED IN PROGRESS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158892.

Excavations by ros coard + andrew chamberlain in 1994-6 have revealed holocene + pleistocene fauna, human remains from a minimum of 2 individuals, flint artefacts + a single sherd of pre-historic pottery (dated in progress).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158894.

Chamberlain, a. T. + ray, k. /a catalogue of quaternary fossil-bearing cave sites in the plymouth area/plymouth archaeology occ. Pub. /1(1994)42-43.

Chamberlain, A. T. + Ray, K., 1994, A Catalogue of Quaternary Fossil-Bearing Cave Sites in the Plymouth Area, 42-43 (Article in Serial). SDV360553.

The entrance to the cave is about 8 metres above the present floor of the quarry. The cave was excavated during the 1920s and since then limited excavations have continued.
A 0.15 metre thick ash layer was discovered within a 1.5 metre sequence of deposits in the cave entrance, along with Upper Palaeolithic flint flakes. Human arm bones and faunal remains have also been found.

Chamberlain, A. T., 1997, Cave (Worksheet). SDV158895.

Excavations by Ros Coard and Andrew Chamberlain in 1994-6 have revealed holocene and pleistocene fauna, human remains from a minimum of 2 individuals, flint artefacts and a single sherd of prehistoric pottery (dating in progress).

Des=chamberlain, a. T. /(1997)/in pf.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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