Journal No. 150 Volume 12 December 1973 CONTENTS Page Editorial 329 Club News 329 Meets 330 Officers & Committee for 1973-74 331 Manor Farm Swallet by J.D. Hanwell 332 Cave Systems of Fairy Cave quarry by W.I. Stanton 339 Reviews 342 From the Log 343 Letter to the Editor 345 Beware the Dreaded Burn 345 The Long Dry Way or the Wet Way 346 Wessex Cave Club Rules 347 Index to Volume 12 351 Hon. Secretary: A. Newport, 87 Bonnington Walk, Lockleaze, Bristol. Asst. Secretary: D.I. Gordon, 3 Townsend, East Harptree, Bristol. Hon. Treasurer: Mrs A. West, 10 Silver Street, Wells, Somerset. Hut Administration: W.J. Ham, The Laurels, East Brent, Highbridge, Somerset. Cave Keys: J. Jones, 33A Dinaw Street, Nantmoel, Glamorgan. Journal Distribution: M. Hewins, 31 Badshot Park, Badshot Lea, Farnham, Surrey. Survey Sales: R.A. Philpott, 3 Kings Drive, Bristol 7. Publication Sales: R.R. Kenney, ‘Yennek’, St. Mary’s Road, Meare, Glastonbury, Somerset General Sales: I. Jepson, 7 Shelley Road, Beechen Cliff, Bath. Editor Vol. 12: R.R. Kenney Editor Vol. 13: R.G. Witcombe, 39 Whitstone Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Upper Pitts Address: Wessex Cave Club, Priddy, Wells, Somerset, BA5 3AX. Journal Price for non-members: 20p per issue. Postage 5p extra. EDITORIAL This is the last issue of Volume 12 and here is my final Editorial. My old Secretary of 1971-73 has resigned, and if I am lucky you will be able to read this before I get caught and clobbered by the new one. Well - here are a few thoughts for you. What is the Journal all about? There can only be one answer - CAVING. And what is Caving? It's the finding and exploring of new caves to some people. To others a new site is the addition to a full work schedule of another hole to be surveyed. The Friday Night Club always adds new holes to their list (unless they resemble North Hill). A new cave to the politicians means another landowner to deal with. To the furtive a new cave is another place to look for traces of lost Pyranine dye. But above all, to me it's something that I can put between the Journal covers. I would like to congratulate those who wrote the Manor Farm article, took the photos, rushed the negatives from one end of Mendip to t'other for processing and those who did the original survey. As the Club grows in size there will be more and more members who remain quietly (at times) in the background but I appeal to you all - if you find a cave make sure you write about it as well. The Upper Pitts Log Book is always available (except when the Editor borrows it for a week) and there are plenty of clean new pages waiting for a pen and legible writing. Finally, Editorial etiquette prevents me from saying "Thank You" to everyone who has helped with this Volume and its Index. Nor can I thank Ron and Ann Foord for their Patience and Skill. But I can thank the Wessex Cave Club for many happy hours of work. CLUB NEWS We welcome the following new members:- Richard Bainbridge, 10 Miles Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2JN. Alison Anne Hooper, 34 Richmond Road, Staines, Middlesex TW18 2AB. Keith John Newbury, 14 Longclose Avenue, Rudloe, Corsham, Wilts. Jeffrey Richard Price, 18 Hurston Road, Inns Court, Bristol BS4 15U. Robert Arthur Scammell, 4 Prospect Place, Bathford, Bath, Somerset. N.R. Clatsworthy, 2 Queens Road, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. We are at the beginning of a new Club Year and therefore annual subscriptions are again due. All of the period subscriptions have expired so all full and joint members should pay up as soon as possible. As usual, the Club A.G.M. and Dinner were held on the third Saturday in October. Unlike the Dinner the A.G.M. was poorly attended. Perhaps this was because there were no controversial items on the agenda, but members should remember that the A.G.M. is their main chance to influence Club policy. At the A.G.M. a new Committee was elected and its Officer are listed in this Journal. Club Ties and Badges are available from Ian Jepson. Ties are 90p and Badges 30p. If you want them sent to you please add sufficient postage. Ian's address is:- 7 Shelley Road, Beeehen Cliff, Bath BA2 4RJ. The cost of hiring the Bishops Barn for the Dinner was £1 so there are no prizes for guessing where we shall probably meet next year. 329 Tackle Warden once again requests members who want tackle for use off Mendip not to take that which is left in the Club Hut for use on Mendip. Please make an application to him. Cave Access The Landowner of the area including Sandford Levvy and Mangle Hole has apparently blown up the entrances to both caves. There have been many complaints of cavers damaging fences when crossing fields. Anyone who does visit the area is asked to approach from the top of the hill and to keep within the woods. DO NOT USE THE OLD ACCESS ROUTE (which is described in "Caves of Mendip"). ANNUAL DINNER 1973 Wessex dinners are never inhibited occasions, one usually feels the growing anxiety of the landlord and his staff as the meal proceeds, one feels after it is all over (next morning) that the landlords anxious disapproval might have been justified. The 1973 dinner was not more or less uninhibited than many others, but the choice of venue (Bishops Barn at Wells) combined with the tolerant (warned and even participating) catering staff, seemed to lighten the proceedings and allow a more relaxed atmosphere. Bar arrangements, by courtesy of Hunters Lodge ran very smoothly; Roger and Ben ought by now, to know what cavers want. Any meal can be criticised, but who goes to the Wessex dinner primarily to eat? The standard was significantly better than many in recent years which is more than can be said for the aerodynamics of the missiles. Talking of missiles, most people found our Guest of Honour very difficult to hit, in spite of him standing on a chair. However, any incautious movement of his head to left or right immediately doubled the target area and several S.D.M. found their mark. In spite of everything Denis Warburton gave us an entertaining speech dealing with hecklers in his inimitable way and for good measure gave us as a Club, some sound advice. He warned of the dangers of allowing the old stagers to administer the Club indefinitely. He drew attention to the apparent apathy of the majority of the younger members when it came to attending the A.G.M. (there were little more than 40 present, very few of those were attending for the first time, more perhaps for at least the tenth time). One felt that Denis had made a real and important point here, one that every member should heed. Before sitting down Denis exploded a popular myth by recounting the true story of Chairman A and Chairman B, he then made a presentation to Chairman A (Jim Hanwell) in recognition of his many years in office as committee member, secretary, editor and chairman of Wessex. After dinner the relaxed atmosphere continued, members were to be seen enjoying themselves in their respective ways. Someone was using a flash camera, I trust the resulting photos will appear in the Club Album and will not prove too embarrassing in years to come. The Album which had recently been rediscovered was on display and seemed to provoke much interest and discussion throughout a very enjoyable evening. MEETS FRIDAY NIGHT CLUB Friday January 11th Reservoir Hole. Restricted access. Names to Richard please. Saturday January 26th Fairy Cave. Friday February 8th Cuckoo Cleeves. Friday February 22nd Ubley Warren Swallet. Saturday March 9th Swildons Shatter Passage. Saturday March 24th Wales. Friday meets at 7.30 p.m. Swildons and Fairy 2.30 p.m. Enquiries to R.R. Kenney, 'Yennek', St. Marys Road, Meare, Glastonbury, MEARE HEATH 296. WARNING When and if petrol rationing starts you are advised to check if a particular trip is 'on'. 330 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE FOR 1973 - 1974 President: F.W. Frost Vice-Presidents: M. Norbert Casteret, Rev. C.H.D. Cullingford, C.W. Harris, Com. P.B. Lawder, H. Murrell, Dr. E.K. Tratman, Dr. F.S. Wallis. Chairman: P. Davies Secretary: A.D. Newport Assistant Secretary: D.I. Gordan Caving Secretary: J.H. Jones Tackle Warden: W.J.R. Willcocks Treasurer: Mrs. A. West Editor: R.G. Witcombe Hut Administration Officer: W.J. Ham Committee: R. Gordon, T.E. Reynolds, I. Jepson APPOINTMENTS AND DUTIES FOR 1972-1973 Secretary: Internal Club Policy, liason with other Clubs and outside organisations. Assist. Secretary: Affiliated clubs. CCC permits for Club members. New membership applications. Caving Secretary: CCC permits for non-members. Tackle Warden: Maintenance and construction of tackle. Treasurer: Overall club finances. Editor: Articles for publication in the Club Journal. Hut Admin. Officer: Co-ordinating repairs and supplies for Upper Pitts. General Sales: General caving equipment. * Publication sales: Journals and other publications to non- members. * Survey Sales: Sales of cave surveys. * Journal Distribution: Postal copies. * * Officers names on contents page of this journal. 331 MANOR FARM SWALLET. AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST by J.D. Hanwell In September 1973 the promised potential of this last classic swallet site on central Mendip was finally realised. Those eventually rewarded were last in the long queue of contenders for the honours which stretches back to 1947.