Charterhouse Cave
Encyclopedia
Charterhouse Cave,on the Mendip Hills
in Somerset
, is the deepest cave
in southern England
.
Active exploration continues and breakthroughs were made in April 2008 when 300 metres (984.3 ft) of passage big enough to walk through was discovered, and again when the Portal Pool Sump
was passed in May 2009 revealing another 500 m (1,640.4 ft) of passage. Continued exploration in 2010 and 2011 brought the cave to its current length and depth
. Because of the various well-preserved formations in the cave, the entrance blockhouse is kept locked and access is restricted to those with permits issued by member clubs of the Charterhouse Caving Company. For the same reason, no novices or cavers aged under 16 are allowed to enter.
and Lamb Leer
. There are a number of long, fairly straight passages which are approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) across and the same high.
Various parts of the cave contain delicate formations, including Forbidden Passage, Midsummer Chamber, The Citadel, The Grotto of the Singing Stal, and the First and Second Inlets.
When Portal Pool Sump was passed in May 2009, about 500 m (1,640.4 ft) of new passage was discovered, as well as a number of side-passages. Surveys conducted after the breakthrough in May 2009 show approximately 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) of passage, with an estimated 500 m unsurveyed plus a number of leads yet to be explored. The surveys have also confirmed the depth at over 200 m (656.2 ft).
The stream in nearby GB Cave flows into Charterhouse Cave and ultimately rises near Gough's Cave
in Cheddar Gorge, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) away.
s.
The insect life found within the cave is fairly typical of caves on the Mendip Hills, including a number of troglophiles and troglobite
s such as the freshwater shrimp (niphargus fontanus) and the springtail
(onychiurus schoetti).
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, is the deepest cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Charterhouse Cave was first excavated in 1972. By 1977 the Sidcot School Speleological Society had reached Bat Chamber, although the first main breakthrough into the system was made in 1982.Active exploration continues and breakthroughs were made in April 2008 when 300 metres (984.3 ft) of passage big enough to walk through was discovered, and again when the Portal Pool Sump
Sump (cave)
Sump is a term used in caving to describe a submerged passage in a cave. A sump may be static, with no inward or outward flow, or active, with continuous through-flow...
was passed in May 2009 revealing another 500 m (1,640.4 ft) of passage. Continued exploration in 2010 and 2011 brought the cave to its current length and depth
Access
The cave is situated on land owned by Somerset Wildlife TrustSomerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Somerset, England.The trust, which was established in 1964, aims to safeguard the county's wildlife and wild places for this and future generations and manages almost 80 nature reserves. Examples include Fyne Court, Westhay Moor,...
. Because of the various well-preserved formations in the cave, the entrance blockhouse is kept locked and access is restricted to those with permits issued by member clubs of the Charterhouse Caving Company. For the same reason, no novices or cavers aged under 16 are allowed to enter.
Description
The cave has three large chambers, Midsummer Chamber, The Citadel, and Times Square; The Citadel is almost as large as the chambers in GB CaveGB Cave
GB Cave is a cave between Charterhouse and Shipham in the limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, England, and is close to Charterhouse Cave, the deepest in the region....
and Lamb Leer
Lamb Leer
Lamb Leer is a 14.59 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest between East Harptree and Priddy in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, notified in 1983. The cavern is a fragment of a very ancient major cave system which now contains one of the largest chambers on Mendip.- History :Several...
. There are a number of long, fairly straight passages which are approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) across and the same high.
Various parts of the cave contain delicate formations, including Forbidden Passage, Midsummer Chamber, The Citadel, The Grotto of the Singing Stal, and the First and Second Inlets.
When Portal Pool Sump was passed in May 2009, about 500 m (1,640.4 ft) of new passage was discovered, as well as a number of side-passages. Surveys conducted after the breakthrough in May 2009 show approximately 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) of passage, with an estimated 500 m unsurveyed plus a number of leads yet to be explored. The surveys have also confirmed the depth at over 200 m (656.2 ft).
The stream in nearby GB Cave flows into Charterhouse Cave and ultimately rises near Gough's Cave
Gough's Cave
Gough's Cave is located in Cheddar Gorge on the Mendip Hills, in Cheddar, Somerset, England. The cave is deep and is long,and contains a variety of large chambers and rock formations. It contains the Cheddar Yeo, the largest underground river system in Britain.- History :The initial sections of...
in Cheddar Gorge, approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) away.
Fauna
There is a hole in the concrete blockhouse over the entrance to the cave to allow the entrance of batBat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s.
The insect life found within the cave is fairly typical of caves on the Mendip Hills, including a number of troglophiles and troglobite
Troglobite
Troglobites are small cave-dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglobite species include spiders, insects, fish and others. They live permanently underground and cannot survive outside the cave environment. Troglobite adaptations and characteristics include a heightened...
s such as the freshwater shrimp (niphargus fontanus) and the springtail
Springtail
Springtails form the largest of the three lineages of modern hexapods that are no longer considered insects...
(onychiurus schoetti).
External links
- Pictures at Mendip Cave Registry and Archive
- Picture of the Grotto of the Singing Stal
