WESSEX CAVE CLUB Journal No. 86, Vol. 7. September 1962

CLUB NEWS

Mendip Cave Registry An enquiry by the Wessex Committee as to the progress being made with recording and indexing of cave information and references by the Registry has led to the calling of a meeting of the Registry after a lapse of four years. The meeting is to be held at 7.0 p.m. on Saturday 27th October at the Museum, Wells. The Club will be sending along two official representatives, but a general invitation has been extended to any Wessex member who is interested in the work of the Registry.

New Members We have pleasure in welcoming the following new members:- Elected 6.7.62: K.J. O'Mahoney, The Orchard, 187a Farnborough Rd, Famborough, Hants. J.D. Washbrook, 13 Cranleigh Gardens, Stoke Bishop, Bristol 9. K.C. Whimster, Parkdale, Peveril Drive, The Park, Nottingham. Re-elected 19.8.62: D.T.S. Mogg, 7 Burlington Road, Redland, Bristol 6. Elected 19.8.62: J.A. Elkins, 25 Idstone Road, Fishponds, Bristol. D.E. Grant, Castlebar Court, Queens Walk, London, W.5. N.R. MacLean, 245 Petersham Road, Petersham, Surrey. Miss J.J. Murrell, Calamine, , Bristol. Miss S.G, Murrell, Calamine, East Harptree, Bristol. R.F.W, Pease, 34 Pettitts Lane, Dry Drayton, Cambs. G.J.S. Perry, 16 Pinewood Close, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. J.D. Perry, 16 Pinewood Close, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. W.C.Roberts, 32 Flowersmead, Upper Tooting Park, London, S.W.17.

Club Records Many members have helped with donations and loans of the older Club Publications, but still certain issues are missing, in particular:- Old Series No. 49 and 54 onwards. Also Supplement No. 4 to the Old Series. A.D. Oldham (52 Monmouth Road, Bishopston, Bristol 7) would be pleased to hear from anyone who has a spare copy of Journal No. 60, Vol. 4, January 1957, to complete a set. He is also interested in any information about the Stone Workings at Dudley, Worcs., and guarantees to answer any letters received.

Library The following books listed in the Hillgrove Reference Library Supplement Journal No. 84, Vol. 7 were recently presented to the Club:- "Cave Explorers in Co. Fermanagh" given by Commander Lawder "Exploring Caves" given by P.Davies. -87-

Recent additions now housed at Hillgrove which members can add to their Supplements, are:- Wessex Cave Club Journals: Vol. IV Nos. 54-65. Vol. VI Nos. 76-82. "Official Report of the 1961 Cambridge University Caving Club Expedition to Glonifjord, Arctic Norway" - Hansen 1962 - given by R. Pyke. "Some Caves of Cyprus" - Jones and Rigby 1962 - given by W.J, Jones. "Castellana" - Anelli - Castellana-Grotte 1959 - an autographed copy given by A.J.S. McMillan. "Expedition Femhohle" - Keller - Trio 1959 - given by B.M. Willis. "Caving" - Baker - Chapman and Hall 1935 - an autographed copy given by the author in 1935. "The Caves of Mendip" - Barrington - Dalesman 1962 - given by the author. "The Caves of Mendip" - Barrington - Dalesman 1957. "The Wessex of Romance" - Sherren - Francis Griffiths 1908.

We are very grateful for these gifts and trust that with such an encouraging start our Library will grow and provide members with a comprehensive selection of caving and allied literature. In Journal 84 it was stated that a list of publications retained by the Librarian as the Lending Library would be circulated. This list is enclosed as a Supplement to this Journal and gives an up to date catalogue of our stock. Being almost entirely the publications of societies and clubs they have been classified as such. Unfortunately many copies are missing and break the continuity of the volumes and sets, but it is hoped that with the co-operation of members such gaps can be filled as time goes on. Periodical lists of additions will be issued with future Journals. Inevitably this will be slow with such out of print literature, but as from now we have made a start and are exchanging publications with the following organisations. This list is at present confined to Societies whose main activities are associated with Mendip and South Wales (with the exception of the N.S.S. and G.R.G.) Caving Club Bristol Exploration Club Cave Research Group Cerberus Speleological Society Chelsea Speleological Society Cave Diving Group Hereford Caving Club Mendip Caving Group Mendip Nature Research Committee National Speleological Society of America Caving Club South Wales Caving Club University of Bristol Speleological Society

Rescue Teams Two teams of Wessex members living in the Bristol area have been formed, under the leadership of Rodney Hobbis and Charles Bryant. The teams, numbering 12 and 10 respectively, are to be called out by the M.R.O. Warden in charge at any rescue when insufficient help is available locally. The teams have recently held a practice in .

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Club Meets Meetings of the Club have continued to be enthusiastically supported. It is regretted that space is not available in the Journal to record an account of each; though if anything of particular interest to members happens or any new discoveries are made the Editor will make room.

Annual General Meeting and Dinner Will be held on 20th October at the Cave Man Restaurant, Cheddar. The Dinner is to be honoured by the presence of the Marquis of Bath. Arrangements are being made for a free conducted tourist trip round Gough’s Cave after the meal. Motions for discussion at the A.G.M. and nominations for Officers and Committee should be sent to the Hon. Secretary before 30th September. Final details will be circulated in early October.

Dinner tickets, price 15/- each, will be available shortly from the Hon. Secretary. Cash with orders please.

CLUB MEETS

Work is in progress most weekends at Cow Hole, where a permanent 27" concrete and brick shaft 12’ 6"'. deep has been installed. The dig has reached a solid walled rift 2ft. wide with a strong draught. Please contact Alan Surrall at, 25 Beverley Court Road, Quinton, Birmingham 32. if you are in doubt as to whether or not your help is required on any particular weekend.

22nd September The Axbridge Caving Group & Archaeological Society have invited any of our members who are interested to a lecture on "Irish Caves" by Mr. B.R. Collingridge at the Town Hall, Axbridge, at 7.30 p.m.

22nd/23rd September Derbyshire Leader E.J. Waddon, 65 Raleigh Hall, Eccleshall, Stafford. Bed and Breakfast accommodation or camping facilities available at Mrs. Vernon’s Farm, Nr. Sparrowpit. Visits to Bagshawe Cavern and Nettle Pot during the weekend; further details and transport co-ordination through the leader.

7th October Axbridge Ochre Cave and Coral Cave, etc. Leader Jin Hanwell, Cross Farm, Draycott, Cheddar, . Meet Axbridge Square 11 a.m.

20th October A.G.M. and Dinner see details under Club News.

3rd November Hunters Hole 3 p.m. at Hunters Lodge. Leader Bob Pyke, 5 Montagu Place, London, W.1.

4th November Balch’s Cave and/or Hilliers Cave Names to Jim Hanwell (address above). Meet at Cerberus S.S. Cottage, , at 11 a.m. At the time of writing the entrance to Balch’s Cave is in a very unstable condition and for the present anyhow the cave is temporarily closed to parties.

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18th November G.B. Cave Meet 11 a.m, at the cave entrance. Members wishing to change at the Long Barn should obtain permission from the Farmer, who makes a levy of l/- in addition to the tackle fee of l/- payable to U.B.S.S. Leader: R.R. Kenney, "Yennek", St.Mary's Rd., , , Somerset.

In addition to these meets it is hoped that Wessex members will take a prominent part in the work to be resumed at the end of Shatter Passage, Swildons. Please contact Bob Pyke if interested.

Hon. Secretary: P. Davies, "Morley", Silver St., Nailsea, Bristol. Phone: Nailsea 9. Hon. Asst. Secretary: C.H. Kenney, Tudor Cottage, Beryl Lane, Wells, Somerset. Phone: Wells 2468 Hon. Treasurer: Mrs. B.M. Willis, 3 Cathedral Green, Wells, Somerset. (Please note change of address) Editor: C.J. Hawkes, 147 Evington Lane, Leicester. Hut Bookings: E. Hanwell, 8 Hooper Avenue, Wells, Somerset.

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A CAVE IN ETHIOPIA

D.J .Causer

This is the account of a cave I was fortunate enough to come across in a remote part of the province of Tigre, in Ethiopia. We, that is myself and my two companions on a trans-African expedition, were driving southwards through Ethiopia after crossing the Sudan, and on the evening of June 11th turned a few miles westwards from the main route, reaching the town of Makale.

Banditry is not uncommon in Ethiopia, and we followed our usual practice of asking at the post for a safe camping spot for the night. Unbeknown to us, Makalo was the capital of Tigre, and we were taken to the Governer-General of the province. He assigned a captain of his guard to take us to our camp, which turned out to be in the grounds of his palace, and invited us to dine with him that evening. The palace was not unlike a mediaeval English castle, with two concentric protecting walls. Although camped within the inner fortification we were also given a personal guard of three soldiers on permanent duty around the camp.

From one of the servants who spoke a little English I learned that not only was he Governor- General of Tigre, but also a Prince of the royal blood, Prince Dejasmach Mengasha Seyoum, grandson of King John of Ethiopia. In consequence we felt a little overawed when a servant came over to announce that "His Highness awaited us at dinner".

In the palace we were received by the Prince and introduced to his sister, an attractive girl of about twenty who also spoke excellent English. Dinner was served Ethiopian style, and we all ate from one large platter on which successive dishes were heaped. We sat cross-legged around it amongst luxurious silk cushions, sipping "tej", the Ethiopian drink made from fermented honey, as we talked. The Prince was extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Ethiopia and we chatted until late into the night.

Eventually I was able to turn the conversation to the subject of caves, and he told us of one with a church in its entrance, about 50 miles west of Makale on a poor track, and offered to give us a guide on the morrow. This was too good to miss and we readily accepted before bidding the Prince and Princess goodnight.

The following morning we picked up our guide, and food and drink (including a bottle of Scotch), provided by the Prince to sustain us on our journey. The track wound over range after range of hills, finally climbing to the edge of a steep scarp at 8,200 feet according to the altimeter fitted to our Austin Gipsy. We used four wheel drive all the way, and often low ratio was needed as well. (Another, essentially caving item of equipment built into the vehicle is a charging circuit for the Nife cells).

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After three hours driving we turned south off the track and went cross-country for about a mile to a small village, where we stopped and recruited guides and porters for the remainder of the journey on foot. Apparently the Prince's word is law, for men and boys vied for the honour of carrying our gear! The way on was two hours march, first on the plateau through a region of clints and then dropping steeply down into an impressive ravine in the limestone containing a dry watercourse. In common with most of the Ethiopian Highlands, surface water is rarely to be seen, but in two months time when the rains come all such watercourses become raging torrents. It is this which renders most of the Ethiopian roads and trails impossible during the rains, even with four wheel drive, as bridges are few.

Our retinue by this time was about eighteen in number, and the elderly headman, white robed and yellow turbanned, led the way on down the ravine. Impressive though this was, we found it to be only a tributary to on enormous gorge, perhaps a mile wide and three or four thousand feet deep, in whose side it formed a hanging valley. A quarter of a mile before the junction with the main gorge there is a slight bend in the ravine, and a great overhang comes into view under the cliff forming the left-hand wall. A jumble of buildings, some of masonry but most of mud and wattle fills the opening and those we found to be the church and cells of the monks living there.

We took off our shoes end climbed the stone steps leading up to the tiny doorway giving access to a small courtyard before the church. The monks received us well, and agreed to show us the cave, which they consider a Holy place made by God.

Up to now I had been prepared to be disappointed, knowing that to many people any slight hollow under a cliff justifies the term 'cave', but my fears were groundless in this case. The priests led us into one of the buildings and up a miniature spiral staircase - almost a bit of caving in itself - to a small room with a wooden doorway about two feet square at the back. There, rush torches were lit, while our Nife lamps brought forth exclamations of surprise.

Through the doorway we found a low, wide bedding-plane with a dry dusty floor and very old stalactite curtains on both sides. We passed through two stal barriers, the second forming a near perfect grille with two of the pillars slightly wider apart allowing passage through. Then follows another low chamber in the same bedding-plane with tombs of past priests of the church lining the right hand wall. Another stal barrier bars the way and beyond that the passage rises and widens. Here many scores of tombs in the soft cave-earth floor line both sides of the passage, and only a narrow path remains free down the middle, as far as a solitary stalagmite boss. For another hundred yards beyond that there are tombs along the right hand wall while along part of the left hand side a large slab has fallen from the roof.

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In all the cave continues on nearly the same bearing for about a quarter of a mile, heading roughly north, and in places is not unlike the Main Passage of Agen Allwedd. Further down the passage, first a cluster of three rather misshapen pillars from roof to floor appear, followed a hundred feet on by a magnificent solitary column six feet in diameter and thirty-five feet high, perfectly formed. The passage width here is about seventy feet. A little further on some larger stal flows appear on both walls, and a quite well decorated stretch follows. An eight foot high lone stalagmite sprouts from the earth floor, and many three to four foot stalactites hang from the roof. Next, there is a rise over a jumble of earth covered boulders, a sudden swing to the left and this fine passage comes to an abrupt halt in an impenetrable stalagmited boulder choke. To the left is a low crawl with the roof dipping to meet the earth floor after a few feet, but no other possibilities.

The usual legends exist of further extensions. In this case, so the story goes, some seven centuries ago a monk passed the choke and wandered for five days before emerging at Debra Dama, the famous monastery on a hilltop which was shown in the recent television series "Adventure". Some days before I was lucky enough to receive permission from the Abbott there to climb the rope to visit the monastery, and so know its location fairly accurately. Checking the maps I found the monk’s caving trip to be sixty miles as the crow flies - not bad by any standards!

The cave itself seemed more ancient than any other I have ever seen. The stalagmite is very old and dead looking, something like old dried bone in appearance. I have never seen anything approaching it elsewhere. The passage is obviously of solutional origin and has formed along a major joint in the limestone. This is visible along the centre of the roof for the entire length of the cave and is frequently hollowed out to a considerable size. In several places these solutional hollows are over 10 feet in diameter and one can be seen to extend upwards at least 20 feet. There are no side passages and only at the cluster of three pillars mentioned earlier is there any sign of an inlet from the roof. Here a small aven may go on upwards.

The final choke appears to be a massive collapse, since completely cemented up with stalagmite, and the idea occurs that this may be the result of earth movements. Near the end is a stalagmite over 6 feet high and 2 feet in diameter which has been tilted 30 degrees from the vertical. Much of Ethiopia has been, and some remote regions still are, the scene of volcanic activity, so it seems a possible explanation. 150 miles to the east of Addis Ababa I have seen fields of cinders over which no vegetation has yet grown, and the last eruption in that area is said to have occurred only sixty years ago. Tremors are still experienced frequently and in some parts hot springs and steam vents exist.

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I am no geologist and so had better not commit myself further on the question. Perhaps one day someone better qualified will visit the place and until then the rough survey we did will give an idea of it. This was done just for the interest, as it seems unlikely that many Wessex members will manage it in a weekend's caving! Indeed I was told by the priests that no other European had been there, though that seems almost too good to be true.

The survey was done using a 2 inch dial prismatic compass read to within 2-3 degrees, but no tape was available and we had to resort to pacing. Survey conditions were ideal, walking upright in all but the first few feet. Passage widths were paced and the heights estimated. No clino was used but as near as could be estimated the passage was level.

Though a cave of academic interest to most, I hope nevertheless the foregoing article will be of some entertainment. It is quite impossible to convey our sensations in being fortunate enough to visit such a strange place so far removed from the twentieth century, as we trudged along the passage in the company of the priests, their white robes dimly lit by the flaming torches they carried.

It was far removed indeed from a Swildon's trip on Mendip.

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YE MENDYPP TALES ATTY'S TAYLE

Dedicated to Them That Forsook Their Bere

Now there was yn thys Cavers Companie An litel man, an somdel deef was hee. "Gentles, sayd hee, I have a Tayle to tel Of August Hole, and how yt went nat wel. For knowe thys Cavern hadde a Name of Drede, Yt semed a Dyrtie Word, as Peter sayd.

One Estertyde dyd Peter, Frank, and I Sette forth thys dreded Cavern to espy. With Farmer Yonge dyd passe ye tyme of day, And then att noonetyde went upon owre way. By Pytch and Pott, and Crepe and Crawl and Bende Ful Syxtie Fathom depe, I trow dyd wende. Dyd in ye streamway other Cavers grete With them dyd have a smoke and eke a swete. Then wee oure Bagge dyd leave us yn thatt place, For sure, wee woulde nat neede hym for a space. Then wee dyd onward goe, ye Rifte dyd stradel And then across Poole Chamber dyd wee padel. Sum twentie ells beyonde dyd crepe and twiste And then oure Doome befel us, wel I wist.

Juste where wee hadde nat space to turne aboute Eache after cache, I saye, oure Lampes wente oute. Thenn were wee yn grete Constematioun, Yt was as Blake as ys Damnatioun. Wee verrie busilie dyd ply oure Flynt Yette for oure laboures gatt wee nat a glint. Then Peter spake, "O Atty, tel us true Wat bee oure cours, and wat bee beste to doe?" I answered hym: "How now shal wee descry Of Ledge or Pytche or how ye way doth lye? And synce sum Grevious Hurt may us affray Wee yn thys doleful spott muste needs to staye."

"Yt mayhap thatt sum Caver, passyng by May come thys way, and soe owe plyght descry. And next, owre hope, thatt or ye Sunn be set Ye Farmer marks ye vann bee wyth hym yet And strayt unto hys Telefone shal goe,

And with good spede shal dyal ye M.R.O. But yett, me thirties, yt shal avayl us nott, For they bee delving yn a Yorkshire Pott Or swinkyng yn ye Hunters, wel I wott. And they will nott forsake their Beer withal Until ye Landlord thryce ye tyme shal call, Wych wil nott bee tyl Tenne or eke Eleven. And then to gett there Gere must tyme bee geven. Here must wee sitt, and here endure owre woe They may nott seke us ere ye coke shal crowe. And wee muste wayte; O wel yt ys thys daye Thatt yn a Goones Suite I dyd arraye, And synce, methynks, wee yn ye colde muste wayte I thys same Goones Suite wil mee ynflate."

Whych being don, I dyd myne Bagge lament And how owre folie dyd yts use prevent, "For ther bee Carbyde for to fyl a Lampe And ther bee Matches yf they bee not Darnpe, A litel Candel, for to light owre vray And ther bee Glucose for owre stomacks stay." Then wee, by turnes, dyd sumtyme synge and shoute For to bee heard yf Cavers bee aboute. So slolie by ye chylly houres dyd crepe Att laste myne head dyd nodd and I dyd slepe.

Tyl yn myne eres, yn thatt uneasie nyght There came a chereful cry "A Light, A LIGHT", And soothe yt was, O never syght of bere, Or aylo, or wyne dyd give us soe moche chere. Yt was noe dreme, a Caver came to syght, And soone wee were delyvered from owre plyght. Eftsoones they dyd restore to us owre Bagg, Refreyshed us eche wyth swotemetes and a fagg. Thenn up wee went, by crepe, and pytch, and pott To Longwode, alle owre troubles soone forgott. There greted us ye Farmer, and ye Dogge Aboute us was ye moon, and rayne and fogg.

Myne Tayle is tolde, wee thank the kindlie witts That left ther bere to seke thre silie Nytts.

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BLACK QUARRS CAVES, WOTTON UNDER EDGE

T. Charles Bryant

"Ozleworth … is about two miles east from Wotton, the road to it being up 'Lisle Hill' and past 'Black Quarrs' or 'Quarries', where some of the caves vie with Cheddar in glistening stalactites." This quotation is taken from page 56 of "Wotton-under-Edge, what to see and how to see it with Original Sketches, also a Description of the Neighbourhood" 2nd Edition (1897) compiled by Margaret and Isabella Tait.

Recently, Mr. D.C. Parry, a resident of Wotton under Edge, drew my attention to the book and I decided to investigate.

Black Quarrs is a small overgrown quarry on the southern side of the road at N.G.R. ST. 775934. The rock is the usual Cotswold Jurassic Limestone (Oolite). The quarry is nearly rectangular with a gap at the north east corner through which entrance is obtained. The height of the face varies between a few feet at the extremities and about 15 feet in the middle of the southern side. The strata dips at an angle of 11° at a true bearing of 227°. The whole of the rock is very loose and there have been several recent falls. The accompanying survey was made of the face at ground level. There are many cracks covered with thin sheets of stalactite and splash "coral".

I have not sought permission to dig at this site, but the following features may be seen. The numbers refer to those marked on the survey.

(1) At ground level is a large flake of rock, the underside of which follows the dip. At first, the flake looks as if it has been detached from the main cliff and fallen but, on a closer inspection, I do not think that this is so. Removal of the soil beneath this rock might disclose an entrance.

(2) A large entrance, which can be seen from the road, leads to a small chamber with a choked passage running in a south westerly direction. The choke appears to be a natural one consisting, mainly, of mud and small stones. Near the roof is a small hole through the choke (about 6 inches in diameter) and the passage appears to continue. Without doubt this would repay digging and it should take only an hour or so to clear the choke.

(3) This is also a large entrance to a cavity about 4 -feet long. There does not appear to be any way on.

(4) In the corner of the quarry is a rift extending about 5ft. 6ins. into the rock where it is choked with boulders and rubble which appear to have been artificially inserted. If it can be cleared, this looks very promising.

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(5) At ground level can be seen the top of a rift which is only a few inches wide. It is too small to enter but removal of the soil might make entry possible for a small caver.

In addition, there are a number of smaller holes and cracks which might lead to passages if they could be opened.

I have been unable to determine which cave contains the "glistening stalactite" to which reference is made in the opening quotation but either (2) or (4) would seem most likely. As stalactite is visible in some of the cracks there may well be beautiful formations underground if these have not been destroyed at some tine since 1897.

MENDIP NOTES

Cheramodytes

Steep Holm

Had Wells 3481 been obtainable from this rock some 4¾ miles out from Weston, M.R.O. might have been embarrassed by an unprecedented caving emergency. Sone 24 members and friends were storm bound for fully 18 hours. Rescue operations would have been hampered by the absence of the Weston lifeboat, called to the help of a fishing boat in distress in Force 8 winds a little further down the coast.

As it happens Oliver Lloyd, the M.R.O. secretary, can rest assured that a serious caving accident is very unlikely to occur in either of the caves that the Wessex party explored and that Wells 3481 is definitely unobtainable.

On going through sumps an odd number of times

This was the gist of an article by Don Thomson in this Journal (Vol 4, p. 37, 1956), who dived the Ludwell sump, only to find that the Sidcot boys had already made another way in. Now we have done it to Sump I in Swildon's Hole. On the 4th August, 1962, Howard Kenney, Oliver Lloyd, John Savory and Bob Craig went to Vicarage Passage in Swildon's II to attack the mud choke they had left on their previous trip (this Journal, Vol 7, p. 7l), while Phil Davies, Geoff Perry, Dave Turner and John Reed went to dig the terminal choke in Double Trouble. Within five minutes we were shouting to one another through 30 ft. of no-man's land, and then we knew that the connection would be made that day. We got through the choke in Vicarage Passage in about 20 minutes and then both parties were working at the last one. The mud here was rather wet and awkward

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to get at, but it yielded to us after about an hour and a half, so we all sat down and had a meal. Howard produced an iced bun for Oliver with one candle on it, as it was his birthday. "You will have to imagine the other fifty", he said. At his suggestion we called the last choke the "Birthday Squeeze". I gather that it has since turned into a rather nasty duck with a three inch air space. This is not surprising, as it is taking the drip from the stalagmite flow at the end of Double Trouble. We then set off in opposite directions and did the round trip, so that we have all of us now done Sump I an odd number of times.

It is the longest round trip for ordinary cavers in Mendip. I strongly recommend anyone who wants to do it to go by way of Double Trouble, through Vicarage Passage and out by Sump I. For one thing the Troubles usually need bailing, and this can only be done from the Paradise Regained side. For another, all the nasty squeezes are downhill and, having got very muddy, one can wash oneself in the sump on the way out.

Freestone Mines

On April Fool's Day of this year some schoolboys got lost in the Combe Down Quarries at Bath, and for the first time some of us realized that we might be called upon to organize a search of artificial cave systems about which we knew very little. On that occasion some parties of M.R.O. took part in the search, but by a stroke of luck the boys found their own way to the surface by digging through a mud choke which brought them through an old entrance into the garden of a public house.

Since then your Scribe has been finding out something about these holes. The Wessex member who knows more about them than anybody is Tony Oldham. We had a look at them at the end of June. They are a labyrinth with no true passages. The freestone has been mined over an area of about a mile square to make a cavity in the Down of up to 20 ft. in height held up by pillars, irregularly spaced, where the stone has been left untouched. The spaces between pillars have been filled to a variable extent by rubble. The old haulage tracks are met in a number of places, but cannot be followed far because of roof falls or other obstructions. The problem of searching such a system for lost explorers is a formidable one, and it seems to me that it can only be done by a series of line surveys making a grid pattern, which can be marked on the spot. The routes so marked could be systematically searched. But it is a big task.

Nearby on Box Hill is an even larger system of freestone mines, which are in parts still being worked and in other parts have been closed by the Admiralty. For a number of years some enthusiasts, mainly from Cotham Grammar School, have been surveying the main passages of this system with some success. Your Scribe went and saw them at work on the 2nd September. The system is much tidier than that on Combe Down. The stone seems to be of better quality, the passages are taller and have suffered far less collapse. There are many more entrances and the system is believed to extend for about one by 2½ miles. The Box Hill railway tunnel runs under it and one of its ventilation shafts obstructs one of the main passages (known as B 12). There are still some large open shafts

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leading to the surface, down which we felt a strong draught of warm air. Near the Admiralty system the draught is strong enough to extinguish a carbide light, because of a ventilation fan. After seeing these freestone mines I have a lasting impression of how easy it is to get lost. The Cotham boys have marked some of the routes, but I am sure they would agree with me that casual visitors would be very unwise to explore these systems without a guide.

Cooper's Hole, or "not Thynne enough"

The Mendip Caving Group, after two years of hard digging, have broken into a small extension of Cooper's Hole in . From the newspaper accounts (which were extensive) one would gather that it was quite a big thing, but this is rather less than the truth. The passage is not the one which goes straight down; that is full of water. It is one going into the cliff to the left of the new concrete retaining wall. They have dug through a choke of mud and boulders, partly cemented by stalagmite, which leads about 50 ft. from the entrance to a rather formidable squeeze. This is quite wide but is only 8 ins high. On the other side a trough 5 ft. deep and 10 ft. long leads to a chamber 20 ft. long, 10 wide and 15 high, with no way on. This chamber has a nicely dome-pitted roof and walls of soft stalagmite. In it were found on the mud the skeleton of a fox and one of a mouse. These may or may not be ancient. They could have entered by a small aven above the choke which has been dug.

Rather naturally Lord Bath, who owns the place, and the management of Gough's Caves Ltd. were anxious to find out what were the commercial possibilities of this new discovery, and to the accompaniment of a good deal of publicity Lord Bath tried himself to get into it on the 18th August. This was rather plucky of him, as although he is far from senile he is not a caver. He got stuck in the squeeze for half a minute which, he said, aged him ten years.

Sidcot School in Swildons again

Following the reports of the Sidcot boys explorations of 5th April, 1962 in the last issue of this Journal under the heading "S.E. Inlet Series", T. Atkinson, B. Guttridg and W. Fox have been active again. In July they discovered about 50' of new inlet passage after a 20' maypole climb to find the source of the water trickling down the aven in the first chamber that they discovered in April. The water which they think is the same as occurs as "the drizzle" in Terminus Chamber of the S.E. Inlet passage emerges from the roof of a chamber 15' x 10' which is 12' high. In this chamber water also rises from a "mud sump" in one corner and the combined trickle flows through a pool and a duck to the Aven. Besides the two inlets the Sidcot boys have hopes of a third possible way of extending the new discovery.

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ON THE UNKNOWN COURSE OF SWILDONS HOLE

W.I. Stanton

Swildons Hole, the biggest Mendip cave, is alone among the major swallets in that it cannot be certainly tied to a particular resurgence. H.E. Balch in his book on Cheddar mentions that fluorescein tests proved abortive, and I believe that starch-iodine tests were made, with ambiguous results, shortly before the last war.

Cheddar, and Hole are the only likely resurgences for Swildons. St. Andrews Well may be ruled out as to reach it the Swildons stream would have to cross the proved connection St. Cuthberts-Wookey, as well as passing extremely close to Wookey in getting round the western end of the sandstone pericline. All other risings are very remote, Wookey is closest to Swildons, and Balch originally believed that they were connected; it was only in 1921 when the Forty Foot Pot was descended and the marked westerly trend of Swildons One became known that he changed his mind. His conclusion that Swildons feeds Cheddar has influenced opinion ever since. He does not seem to have considered Rodney Stoke as a possibility.

Were Balch alive today he might well change his mind again. The Swildons stream at Creep 2 makes a remarkable turnabout and thereafter heads steadily south-southeast towards a point east of Wookey. So does the abandoned upper level from Vicarage Pot to Shatter Passage. At Sump 8 the Swildons stream has covered more than one tenth of the distance to Wookey, but less than one thirtieth of that to Cheddar. However, as we have seen, the trend of a passage is not an infallible guide to its ultimate destination.

But there are other reasons for believing that Swildons does not lead to Cheddar. The distance from Swildons to Cheddar is more than twice that from Swildons to Wookey, and if the probable Cheddar catchment area is drawn to include Swildons it becomes extremely large. Stretching from Tynings Farm past G.B. and Longwood to Swildons, with a northern watershed following the crest of the Blackdown pericline and then cutting across to North Hill, it would be two or three times as large as the Wookey catchment area which would be reduced to the zone from Eastwater via Hillgrove to Slab House. But the Cheddar resurgence, though very large, is by no means two or three times the size of Wookey, with its subsidiary spring at Glencot. Moreover, on this scheme it would be difficult to assign a catchment area to the smaller rising at Rodney Stoke.

According to Balch (Mendip Caves III, p.137) " a deep pond on the hill near Miner's Arms " definitely feeds the Rodney Stoke rising, and the M.N.R.C. have recently proved that the Brimble Pit swallets on Westbury Hill also connect with Rodney Stoke. I do not know the exact location of the deep pond, but if it is really close to the Miner's Arms a situation exists in which the Swildons water, to reach Cheddar, would have to cross the streamway linking the pond to Rodney Stoke without intersecting it. I suppose this is just about possible, but it seems highly – unlikely; the crossing point would be so far from the swallet entrances that both waterways would have reached saturation level. -101-

Could Swildons feed Rodney Stoke? Superficially attractive is the fact that the important Fault runs from Swildons to the above-mentioned Brimble Pit swallets, and might be expected to form a line of weakness favourable to cave development. But the Swildons streamway and upper level cut across this fault zone near the present limits of exploration and, except for certain passages in Paradise Regained, show little inclination to follow it. The Rodney Stoke water is seldom polluted, suggesting that it is neither fed by important surface streams nor affected by the masses of mud that are from time to time dumped into the Swildons stream by cavers. Again, the divers' reports seem to indicate that at least the main rising at Rodney Stoke is rather immature, and so far no abandoned older exits have been discovered. This is in contrast to the evident maturity of Swildons, with its ancient phreatic upper level and its lower level modified by long ages of vadose downcutting.

In my opinion, Swildons probably leads to Wookey. The distance between them is comparatively short, and Swildons is close to and in the same geological setting as St. Cuthberts, with its proved connection to Wookey. (The fact that Swildons now seems to be making its way towards Wookey is neither here nor there; before 1957 the general trend was towards Cheddar.) Wookey is a mature resurgence, as Swildons requires. However, such unexpected things happen underground, such promising methods of water tracing are being developed (and I am so reluctant to give Cheramodytes the chance of having more fun at my expense!) that I won't push it any further.

If in spite of Cheramodytes Wookey is the favoured resurgence, there are two points worth mentioning. One is that whereas the Swildons stream would have 255 ft. to fall to Cheddar, it can drop only 122 ft. to Wookey. The second point is that, serious as though this loss might seem considered as vertical elbow room, it is offset by the greatly reduced distance from swallet to resurgence. From Sump 6 the mean gradient to Wookey would be slightly steeper than that to Cheddar. Thus H.E. Balch's dream, that cavers might one day be able to enter Swildons and emerge at the resurgence, becomes a slightly less remote possibility.

To realise Balch's dream it is not particularly desirable to concentrate on following the active streamway. I share Derek Ford's belief that sumps and ducks will follow each other with increasing frequency, making it a divers paradise inaccessible to the normal caver. But Swildons has its unique upper level, blocked off here and there by chokes, and in it lies the real hope of making significant progress. I venture to differ from Derek (Journal 83, p.15) in that I see no foolproof reason why the upper level should permanently join the active streamway for a very great distance. Time, water tracing, and hard work at the end of Shatter Passage will show the value or otherwise of these speculations; I hope they will please the Editor, at least!

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

"Dear Chris,

Water Divining

I was interested to read, in the last issue of the Journal, the reprint of the article by Mr. Edwards. Some years before I moved to Bristol, I watched a demonstration of dowsing given before members of the Somersetshire Archaeological Society. In this case the Dowser used an ordinary 2' carpenters' rule and followed the course of an underground stream in Alcombe Combe (Minehead) which, although unknown to the Dowser, was marked on a plan.

Most of the people present tried, without success, to repeat the Dowser’s feat. However, when the Dowser held one end of the rule, I held the other and we joined our other hands, not only was a reaction obtained but I felt a distinct "electric shock" (as mentioned by Mr. Edwards on page 78 paragraph l). I cannot explain this, but I can confirm that it happened.

If a Dowser were to follow the course of Swildons, would this not provide striking confirmation of the accuracy of the survey? He could also show us the direction taken by Swildons IX, X, XI, etc.

Yours sincerely, T. Charles Bryant "

"Dear Editor,

Like many other members I hope the author of that part of the pamphlet mentioned in Willie Stanton's recent statistical opus "Election Fever" will rise to the bait and will reply to the challenge. In other words will he please indicate where to start looking for the 70,035 feet of new passage.

I feel sure that there are some mathematicians amongst us who could significantly reduce the target figure, since there must be many feet of passage included that have now been quarried away, still more that are inaccessible for one reason or another. Is it fair to include these? What, for example, will be the position regarding Cow Hole when it is re-opened?

Yours sincerely, Clayfoot"

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FEEDING- UNDERGROUND

Horlicks Ltd.

It was during 1961 that Horlicks Ltd., of Slough, Bucks, were asked by the Mendip Rescue Organisation to look into the possibility of providing a suitable emergency ration for cave rescue. The Rescue Organisation stated their requirements in detail, mentioning the types of incident in which their rations were likely to be required - probably essential. The two main types of incident were reported to be as follows:-

1. A party of two to four cavers can become seriously delayed below ground, but are able to move, when a rescue party reaches their position. These people would probably be suffering from a considerable degree of exposure and liable to be in a low state of morale and therefore be in need of speedy sustenance.

2. A larger party (possibly as many as fifteen) can become trapped by flood waters and be unable to move. This group would probably be suffering from extremes of exposure and in need of immediate revival, especially with the warmth given by food.

Horlicks, Ltd., through their Food Development Physicist, then worked out a balanced survival ration, which they considered would be more than adequate to meet the needs of the Rescue Organisation and would be simple to carry to the place of rescue.

The special pack, which was provided, was an adaptation of their 1 man/2 day kit, originally devised for rescue in Arctic regions, where adequate water would be available, as would probably be the case in a cave The total ration gives a 5167K calories intake, weighs only 2 lbs 10 ozs., and is packed into as small a space as 10 x 4 x 2 inches. Used with efficiency this cave rescue ration, although designed for 1 man for 2 days could be used to save life up to five days, if the situation of those to be rescued became really grave and provided water was to hand.

The contents of this composite cave rescue pack are as follows – net weights:- 1 x 7 oz. Oatmeal Block. 2 x ¾ oz. Packets Horlicks Tablets. 2 x ¾ oz. Packets Enerzade (Glucose) Tablets. 1 x 7 oz. Block Fudge No. 18 (Run Flavoured). 3 x 2 oz. Bars Milk Chocolate. 1 x 2 oz. Packet Expedition Biscuits. 1 x 2 oz. Block Processed Cheddar Cheese. 1 x 8 oz. Concentrated Food Bar HF/66 1 Wooden Spatula. 1 Booklet Matches. 1 Polythene Water/Food Bag and Closure.

-104-

The whole is overwrappod in a waterproof waxed board carton and each component is vacuum sealed in aluminium foil laminate. Instructions for use and suggested menus are included, together with helpful suggestions and advice on the various items.

In recent months the Food Development Department of Horlicks Ltd., have been giving their attention to the provision of a personal emergency ration for the caver and in this connection much thought has been given to the obvious problems which the underground explorer encounters, such as restriction of movement. Most cavers' pockets become torn easily and it is usual for clothing to be covered in mud, which precludes the placing of a survival ration in their clothing. The incorporation of a pocket or zip-fastened vent in the caver’s helmet, in which a lightweight emergency food pack can be placed might well be an answer to the problem of carrying a personal ration. There would be an added advantage in carrying food in the helmet, because, in the event of the caver becoming stuck in a narrow gap, he would be able to reach the food and place it in his mouth quite simply, owing to the short distance between helmet and mouth.

With regard to the concentrated food itself which could be placed as a personal ration for the caver in the pocket or vent of the helmet, Horlicks have designed and can now offer for sale a highly concentrated food bar weighing only 7 oz. gross and measuring 4½" x 2 ¾" x 1", giving 960K calories and which in emergency can be eaten uncooked, giving adequate nourishment for up to 48 hours. When cooked, this ration of first class meat and vegetables makes an excellent stew, which is really tasty. Heating instructions are printed on the vacuum sealed aluminium foil laminate pack.

As an alternative or addition, a rum flavoured fudge has been designed. It is soft in nature, is readily soluble in water, making a highly sustaining drink. Vacuum packed and giving 826K calories, it measures 4½" x 2¾" x 1" and weighs 8 oz. gross.

The shelf life of these two rations has been proved to be at least 18 months under any climatic conditions, vigorous tests being undertaken in many varying climates.

With regard to eating the abovementioned special packs, Horlicks are also making a fire making tablet which contains Hexamine, packed in a tin containing 20 tablets of 40 grains each. These high caloric fuel tablets burn with a considerably hotter flame than those of the normal Metaldehyde type and it has been proven that 6 tablets will boil one pint of water from ice. The fact that they are packed and well sealed in a tin size 2" x 3¼" x ½" with a gross weight of 2½ oz. will surely be of much use to caving enthusiasts.

-105-

BOOK REVIEWS

SPELUNCA (4e scrip) Bulletin Vol. l. Nos. l-4. 1961 8vo., 210p., maps, plans, sections, illus., bibliogs. £1.2s.6d. (Obtainable from Societe Speleologique de France, B.R.G.M., 74 rue de la Federation, Paris (l5e))

The first series of the periodical Spelunca was published under the control of Martel between 1895 and 1913. Now its latest successor has appeared as the fourth series, a continuation of the Bulletin du Comite National de Speleologie. It does not supersede the Annales de Speleologie, now published by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; rather, it is a junior partner publishing additional material.

Besides descriptions of French caves, this first volume contains several articles of particular interest. Bernard Geze discusses the French caving publications, past and present, which could be said to have national status and he traces their interrelationships. Renault gives a critical resume of work of wall scalloping and points out that none of the conventional explanations is satisfactory in all cases. Other general articles deal with the accuracy of cave surveys (l3p.), underground cave laboratories and their functions (4p.) and the use of winches.

T.R.S.

MORE YEARS UNDER THE EARTH by N. Casteret (London, Spearman 1961 (1962)) 8vo., 164p., illus. £1.5s.0d.

An adequate but uninspired translation of "Aux Pays des eaux folles" (1958) (reviewed in W.C.C. Journal Vol.5 No.74, p.246-7). The first part deals with Cigalere - the new extensions found between 1953 and 1955. Part two, in the now customary form of anecdotes, includes a translation of Martel's account of Gaping Gill.

T.R.S.

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WESSEX CAVE CLUB

LENDING LIBRARY

Bristol Exploration Club

(i) Belfry Bulletins: No, 9 Jan. 1948. No. 11. May 1948 - No. 13 July 1948. No. 15 Sep. 1948 - No. 17 Nov. 1948. No. 19 Jan. 1949. No. 24 June 1949 - No. 25 July 1949 No. 32 Feb. 1950. No. 34 April 1950. No. 36 June 1950. No. 38 Aug. 1950. No. 41 Nov.1950 - No. 46/47 April 1951 (NB No. 48 was never published) No. 52 Dec. 1951 - No.69 May 1953 No. 71 July 1953 - No. 78 Feb.1954 No. 80 April 1954 - No. 83 July 1954 No. 85 Sep. 1954 - No. 89 Feb. 1955 No. 92 May 1955 - No. 100 Jan.1956 Index to Nos. 1-100 No. 101 Feb/March 1956 - No. 103 April 1956 No. 107 Nov. 1956 - No. 110 March 1957 No. 112 May 1957 - No. 116 Sep. 1957 No. 118 Nov. 1957 No. 121 Feb. 1958 No. 123 April 1958 - No. 126 July 1958 No. 128 Sep. 1958 No. 155 Jan. 1961 - No. 173 July 1962

(ii) Caving Reports: No. l. Surveying in Redcliffe Caves Bristol. Jan. 1956 No. 7. A Second Report on St. Cuthbert's Swallet. Feb. 1962 No. 8. A Preliminary Survey Plan of St. Cuthbert's Swallet. Feb. 1962

Cave Diving Group

Index of Submerged Cave Passages & sumps: Sect. I Somerset April 1957 Sect. II Devonshire April 1957 Review for 1961

The Log of the Exploration Expedition - Balcombe 1935. (NOTE: This book has been classed here for convenience, and can be viewed by special arrangement with the Librarian).

Cave Research Group

(i) Newsletters: No. l Feb. 1947 - No. 30 Sep/Oct. 1950 No. 32 Jan/Feb.1951 - No. 45/46 July/Oct.1953 No. 48 May/June 1954 - No. 51 Nov/Dec.1954 No. 53/54 Dec.1955 No. 56/57 March/June 1956 - No. 70/71 Nov/Dec.1957 No. 83 Dec.1961 - No. 84 April 1962.

(ii) Publications: No. l International Expedition to Gouffre Berger 1956 No. 2 Derbyshire Lead Mining Glossary 1949 No. 5 A Key Plan of Gaping Gill 1952 No. 10 Ogof Agen Allwedd 1960

(iii) Biological Supplements: Part I 1938 - 39 Dec.1955 (cf. Newsletter No.5 2) Part II 1st Sect. 1940 - 46 July 1956 (cf. Newsletter No. 58/59) 2nd Sect, 1940 - 46 Oct.1956 (cf. Newsletter No. 60/61) Part VII 1957 - 1959 Dec.1961 (cf. Newsletter No. 83)

(iv) Cave Fauna: Pub. No. l Part 1. Glennie Pub. No. l Part 2. Hazelton and Glennie

(v) Transactions: Vol. I No. l Dec. 1948 No. 2 Aug. 1949 No. 3 March 1950 Vol. II No. l June 1952 No.2 Dec.1952 Vol. III No. l June 1954 Vol. IV No. l Dec.1955 No. 2 Oct.1956

Chelsea Speleological Society

Journals: Vol. 4 Nos. 2 Nov.1961 - 10 July 1962.

Hereford Caving Club

Newsletters: No. 10 Jan l957-April 1958 No. 11 March 1959 No. 12 April 1960 No. 13 March 1961 No. 14 Dec. 1961

National Speleological Society of America (i) N.S.S. News: Vol. 7 Nos. 6 - 12 Vol. 8 Nos. 1 - 6; 8 - 10; 12 Vol. 9 Nos. 3 - 5; 7; 9 - 10; 12 Vol. 10 Nos. 1 – 12 Vol. 11 Nos. 1 - 3; 5 - 6; 8; 10 Vol. 12 Nos.4; 11 Vol. 13 Nos. 1 – 12 Vol. 14 Nos. 8 - 9; 11 – 12 Vol. 15 Nos.2 - 3; 5 - 7; 9 – 10 Vol. 16 Nos. l; 3; 5 - 6; 8 - 9; 11 Vol. 17 Nos. 2 - 4; 6; 8; 10 (ii) Bulletins: No. 16 Dec. 1954 No. 20 Nov. 1958 (iii) Occasional Papers: No.2 Vertical Shafts in Limestone Caves. April 1955. No.3 Notes on The Plethodontid Salamanders. Nov. 1956.

Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journals: Series Three. No. l May 1961 No. 2 Nov, 1961 No. 3 May 1962

South Wales Caving Club Newsletters: No .l May 1952 No. 6 Sep. 1953 No. 13 Sep.1955 - No. 15 May 1956 No. 18 Dec.1956 - No.23 April 1958

Wells Natural History and Archaeological Society & Mendip Nature Research Comm. (i) Annual Reports: 1914 1918 1924-1930 1932 1934-1937 1940-1941 (ii) Special Publications: Waldegrave Swallet. Balcombe. June 1936 An Account of the Discovery of a New Series of Passages. Special Report on Swildons Hole, Priddy. Stanton. Oct. 1950. A Geoelectrical Survey in the Neighbourhood of Lamb Lair Cavern. Palmer, Oct.1957.

Westminster Speleological Group Journals: "The London Caver" No. l Jan.1956 No. 2 July 1956 (Note: No further Journals have been published)