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Summary

Kent's cavern. The sloping chamber. The thin layer of black mould yielded shells of cockle, limpet and pecten; two potsherds, one of black coarse clay, the other of finer brown clay; a flint chip and core; a spindle whorl of fine-grained micaceous clay with its external edges rounded off; and a bone awl, partially covered with a film of stalagmite. In the granular stalagmite horse teeth and bones were found, a charcoal streak and a cockle shell. Well-marked fern impressions were also found. There were the usual bones and about 550 teeth found in the cave earth.52 flint implements, flakes and chips were found, among which were some good lanceolate implements. A. Of light brown translucent flint, nearly flat on one side, and carinated on the other. It was found with a few bones in february 1871 in the first foot level. Modern aspect. B. Of white flint, longitudinally and transversely concave on one side, with a medial ridge on the other from which a second ridge proceeded. It had a thin but uneven edge. Probably pointed at each end, but one end was broken. Found in march 1871 in the second foot level of cave earth, with splinters of bone. C. Of white flint, irregular in form, but rudely lanceolate. Slightly concave on one face and convex on the other. Found with the teeth of horse and hyena and bone fragments in the second foot level of cave earth. D. A whitish flint, nearly uniform from end to end, slightly concave on one face, convex on the other. Found with the teeth and bones of hyena in february 1871. There were three slight parallel longitudinal ridges, sharply truncated at both ends, thin at the sides. E. A slightly mottled flint, white, flat at one face, strongly ridged at the other, abruptly truncated at one end, but thin everywhere else, and retaining its width almost to the opposite bluntly rounded end. Found in march 1871 with part of a deer's jaw and bones in the third foot level. F. A mottled flint, white prevailing. Pointed at one end, nearly flat on one face, convex on the other, on which were two ridges, one sub- central and the other nearly marginal. Found in february 1871 in the fourth foot level with the teeth of horse and hyena. G. A piece of calcareous spar, apparently used as a polishing stone. Found in march 1871 with the teeth of horse, hyena, rhinoceros, gnawed bones and a flint flake in the fourth foot level of the cave earth. No similar had been found before. A piece of burnt bone was found with fragments of bone and faecal matter in the second foot level of cave earth. The mass of excavated earth was taken out of the chamber for a more thorough examination. Hundreds of bones, antler fragments, elephant's tusk, teeth, some marine shells, fragments of black pottery, thirteen flint implements and flakes were found, along with four small slabs with fern impressions. Mcenery's excavation methods proved to be unsatisfactory.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1010745: Kent's Cavern, Torquay

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX96SW/4/26

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CAVE DEPOSIT (Lower Palaeolithic to XXI - 698000 BC to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316962.

Kent's cavern. The sloping chamber. The thin layer of black mould yielded shells of cockle, limpet and pecten; two potsherds, one of black coarse clay, the other of finer brown clay; a flint chip and core; a spindle whorl of fine-grained micaceous clay with its external edges rounded off; and a bone awl, partially covered with a film of stalagmite. In the granular stalagmite horse teeth and bones were found, a charcoal streak and a cockle shell. Well-marked fern impressions were also found. There were the usual bones and about 550 teeth found in the cave earth.52 flint implements, flakes and chips were found, among which were some good lanceolate implements. A. Of light brown translucent flint, nearly flat on one side, and carinated on the other. It was found with a few bones in february 1871 in the first foot level. Modern aspect. B. Of white flint, longitudinally and transversely concave on one side, with a medial ridge on the other from which a second ridge proceeded. It had a thin but uneven edge. Probably pointed at each end, but one end was broken. Found in march 1871 in the second foot level of cave earth, with splinters of bone. C. Of white flint, irregular in form, but rudely lanceolate. Slightly concave on one face and convex on the other. Found with the teeth of horse and hyena and bone fragments in the second foot level of cave earth. D. A whitish flint, nearly uniform from end to end, slightly concave on one face, convex on the other. Found with the teeth and bones of hyena in february 1871. There were three slight parallel longitudinal ridges, sharply truncated at both ends, thin at the sides. E. A slightly mottled flint, white, flat at one face, strongly ridged at the other, abruptly truncated at one end, but thin everywhere else, and retaining its width almost to the opposite bluntly rounded end. Found in march 1871 with part of a deer's jaw and bones in the third foot level. F. A mottled flint, white prevailing. Pointed at one end, nearly flat on one face, convex on the other, on which were two ridges, one sub- central and the other nearly marginal. Found in february 1871 in the fourth foot level with the teeth of horse and hyena. G. A piece of calcareous spar, apparently used as a polishing stone. Found in march 1871 with the teeth of horse, hyena, rhinoceros, gnawed bones and a flint flake in the fourth foot level of the cave earth. No similar had been found before. A piece of burnt bone was found with fragments of bone and faecal matter in the second foot level of cave earth. The mass of excavated earth was taken out of the chamber for a more thorough examination. Hundreds of bones, antler fragments, elephant's tusk, teeth, some marine shells, fragments of black pottery, thirteen flint implements and flakes were found, along with four small slabs with fern impressions. Mcenery's excavation methods proved to be unsatisfactory.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316963.

Pengelly, w. /tda/16(1884)300-308/the literature of kent's cavern, part 5.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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