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Summary

Kent's cavern. Deposits were found in the lecture hall in the cave earth, granular stalagmitic floor and black mould. In the black mould: pottery, part of a small vase, small red earthenware pan, spindle whorl, roughly shaped piece of new red sandstone, portion of a bone comb, marine shells, piece of smelted copper, lower jaw and skull of a badger, part of a human upper jaw with eight teeth, and the internal cast of a fossil shell. Most of the potsherds were of coarse black clay mixed with small stones, some of them ornamented, others plain. The earthenware pan was of a flowerpot type, and was modern. The spindle whorl was of clay slate, ornamented with a series of lines on both the curved and flat sides. The piece of red sandstone may have been a spindle whorl marred in the making. The bone comb was a portion of the shaft, both ends having been broken off. It was ornamented with well-drilled, small, circular punctures traversing the shaft obliquely in two parallel series, the direction of one set being at right angles to the other. The marine shells were of oyster, cockle and pecten. The human jaw and teeth may be comparatively modern. In the granular stalagmite: the bones of rhinoceros tichorhinus and a premolar of hyena speleoa were found along with some charred wood. In the cave earth: fragments of grit, rounded pieces of quartz and flint, and a small piece of crystalline schist from the start-bolt area were found along with the teeth of horse, rhinoceros, hyena, bear, fox and deer. In the crystalline stalagmite: the teeth and bones of bear were found. In the breccia: the remains of bear were found.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010745: Kent's Cavern, Torquay

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX96SW/4/12

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAVE DEPOSIT (Iron Age - 700 BC to 42 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316300.

Kent's cavern. Deposits were found in the lecture hall in the cave earth, granular stalagmitic floor and black mould. In the black mould: pottery, part of a small vase, small red earthenware pan, spindle whorl, roughly shaped piece of new red sandstone, portion of a bone comb, marine shells, piece of smelted copper, lower jaw and skull of a badger, part of a human upper jaw with eight teeth, and the internal cast of a fossil shell. Most of the potsherds were of coarse black clay mixed with small stones, some of them ornamented, others plain. The earthenware pan was of a flowerpot type, and was modern. The spindle whorl was of clay slate, ornamented with a series of lines on both the curved and flat sides. The piece of red sandstone may have been a spindle whorl marred in the making. The bone comb was a portion of the shaft, both ends having been broken off. It was ornamented with well-drilled, small, circular punctures traversing the shaft obliquely in two parallel series, the direction of one set being at right angles to the other. The marine shells were of oyster, cockle and pecten. The human jaw and teeth may be comparatively modern. In the granular stalagmite: the bones of rhinoceros tichorhinus and a premolar of hyena speleoa were found along with some charred wood. In the cave earth: fragments of grit, rounded pieces of quartz and flint, and a small piece of crystalline schist from the start-bolt area were found along with the teeth of horse, rhinoceros, hyena, bear, fox and deer. In the crystalline stalagmite: the teeth and bones of bear were found. In the breccia: the remains of bear were found.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316301.

Pengelly, w. /tda/16(1884)229-235/the literature of kent's cavern, part 5 cont=key=shell, modern, entry:23/7/1980.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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