Stoke Lane Slocker
Encyclopedia
Stoke Lane Slocker is a cave near Stoke St Michael
, in the carboniferous limestone
of the Mendip Hills
, in the English
county
of Somerset
.
It is 2.18km in length and reaches a depth of 30m.
It was previously known as Stoke Lane Swallet, but now the local name is preferred. The origin of the word "Slocker" is obscure, possibly from "slock" meaning to entice or lure away although the Gaelic
word for swallow hole is "sluighaire".
around 1905, but major exploration and measurement of this cave really started in 1947 when Sump 1
was reached. That sump was passed the same year and the decorated chambers of Stoke Two discovered. Sumps 2 to 7 were passed over the course of the 1960s. The Bailey-Ward series of chambers was discovered in 1971.
Cases of Weils Disease
have been reported in those who have been into the cave.
. The cave has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
Stoke One (the length of passage between the entrance and Sump
1), is mainly made up of low passageways. However the Bailey-Ward Series of chambers includes Bernard's Rift, which is 20 metres (66 ft) high and contains crystal pools containing calcite
-encrusted goniatite
snail shells, and cave pearl
s.
The area between Sumps 1 and 2, Stoke 2, contains a number of highly decorated chambers including the Upper Grotto, Traverse Grotto and the Throne Room which contains a 3 metres (10 ft) high stalactite
boss named The King and a second stalactite, 2 metres (7 ft) high, named The Queen after Queen Victoria. The once-spectacular formations in the Princess Grotto have suffered damage since the cave was discovered. When the Bone Chamber, which is not decorated, was found it contained a number of human and animal bones, along with ash and charcoal.
Beyond the second sump is a long stretch of passage containing a further six sumps.
Stoke St Michael
Stoke St Michael is a village and civil parish on the Mendip Hills north east of Shepton Mallet, and west of Frome, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England.-History:...
, in the carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous limestone
Carboniferous Limestone is a term used to describe a variety of different types of limestone occurring widely across Great Britain and Ireland which were deposited during the Dinantian epoch of the Carboniferous period. They were formed between 363 and 325 million years ago...
of the Mendip Hills
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 the English
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...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of 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...
.
It is 2.18km in length and reaches a depth of 30m.
It was previously known as Stoke Lane Swallet, but now the local name is preferred. The origin of the word "Slocker" is obscure, possibly from "slock" meaning to entice or lure away although the Gaelic
Goidelic languages
The Goidelic languages or Gaelic languages are one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic languages, the other consisting of the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland through the Isle of Man to the north of Scotland...
word for swallow hole is "sluighaire".
History
It is believed that the first person to explore the cave in modern times was a Mr Marshall from Stratton-on-the-FosseStratton-on-the-Fosse
Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills, south-west of Westfield, north-east of Shepton Mallet, and from Frome, in Somerset, England. It has a population 1,045, and has a rural agricultural landscape, although it was part of the once-thriving...
around 1905, but major exploration and measurement of this cave really started in 1947 when Sump 1
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 reached. That sump was passed the same year and the decorated chambers of Stoke Two discovered. Sumps 2 to 7 were passed over the course of the 1960s. The Bailey-Ward series of chambers was discovered in 1971.
Cases of Weils Disease
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira, and affects humans as well as other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.The...
have been reported in those who have been into the cave.
Description
The submerged entrance to the cave lies near the disused Stoke Lane Quarry, and from it an underground stream emerges into daylight to feed a water-source known as St Dunstan's WellSt. Dunstan's Well Catchment
St. Dunstan's Well Catchment is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, covering near Stoke St Michael in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, notified in 1967.Formerly known as Stoke St Michael Slocker.- Geological :...
. The cave has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
Stoke One (the length of passage between the entrance and 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...
1), is mainly made up of low passageways. However the Bailey-Ward Series of chambers includes Bernard's Rift, which is 20 metres (66 ft) high and contains crystal pools containing calcite
Calcite
Calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate . The other polymorphs are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Aragonite will change to calcite at 380-470°C, and vaterite is even less stable.-Properties:...
-encrusted goniatite
Goniatite
Goniatites are extinct ammonoids, shelled cephalopods related to squid, octopus, and belemnites, that form the order Goniatitida. The Gonatitida originated from within the more primitive anarcestine ammonoids in the Middle Devonian some 390 million years ago...
snail shells, and cave pearl
Cave pearl
A cave pearl is a type of speleothem, a concretion of calcium salts which forms in limestone caves. They may be any shape but are formed of concentric layers, reaching up to in diameter. Most are smaller than wide. They can be found singly or grouped...
s.
The area between Sumps 1 and 2, Stoke 2, contains a number of highly decorated chambers including the Upper Grotto, Traverse Grotto and the Throne Room which contains a 3 metres (10 ft) high stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
boss named The King and a second stalactite, 2 metres (7 ft) high, named The Queen after Queen Victoria. The once-spectacular formations in the Princess Grotto have suffered damage since the cave was discovered. When the Bone Chamber, which is not decorated, was found it contained a number of human and animal bones, along with ash and charcoal.
Beyond the second sump is a long stretch of passage containing a further six sumps.
| Sump | Length of dive | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sump 1 | 18 inches (46 cm) | Free-divable |
| Sump 2 | 10 metres (33 ft) | Fully equipped divers only |
| Sump 3 | ? | Can be by-passed |
| Sump 4 | 20 metres (66 ft) | Fully equipped divers only |
| Sump 5 | ? | Can be by-passed |
| Sump 6 | 12 metres (39 ft) | |
| Sump 7 | 15 metres (49 ft) | Very tight |
| Sump 8 | ? | Boulder-choked; cannot be passed |