dumnonia

Friday 5 April 2024

Baker's Pit Cave entrance

Bakers Pit Article Talk Read Edit View history Tools Coordinates: 50°29′4.61″N 3°46′28.41″W From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Bakers pit) Bakers Pit Baker's Pit Cave entrance in 1961 Location Buckfastleigh, Devon, England Coordinates 50°29′4.61″N 3°46′28.41″W Length 3,631 metres (11,913 ft) Discovery 1847 Geology Middle Devonian Limestone [1] Entrances 1 Access DCUC (key required) [2] Bakers Pit is a phreatic maze cave system near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. It was first opened in 1847 by quarrying activities.[3] Bakers Pit is entered via a vertical descent of 16 metres.[3] It has 3.631 kilometres (2.256 mi) of passage contained within an area of 4 hectares (9.9 acres) and a small stream, flowing to the River Dart, that is still actively developing the cave.[1][3][4] It was once connected to Reeds cave, however, only "voice" connection is currently possible, and only in a few locations.[5] Connections between the two systems have been filled in with concrete to protect the beautiful formations in the Reeds cave.[6] The cave was much frequented between the wars by local people during which time many of the calcite formations were destroyed,[3] although some formations have now naturally regenerated.[7] In the early 1960s an upper series was discovered significantly extending the known cave by as much as 50 per cent by climbing a vertical slot in the roof. This extension is better known as the Plymouth Extension and this area contains some of the best examples of formations due to its difficult access of squeezes and climbs. This upper series once went up to the surface but for conservation this has been sealed off with an emergency plan in place in case of rescue from this upper series.[citation needed]. Wildlife Devon caves are good places to find humidity-loving collembola and Pseudosinella dobati (a blind white cave-adapted species), Symphyla isabellae, Tetracanthella britannica and Heteromurus nitidus have been recorded in Baker's Pit. Other invertebrates include the staphilinid beetle Quedius mesomelinus and the arachnid Lessertia denticalis.[8] References Waltham, A.C.; Simms, M.J.; Farrant, A.R.; Goldie, H.S. (1997). Karst and Caves of Great Britain. London: Chapman and Hall. pp. 275–276. ISBN 0412788608. "Access to Devon Caves". Devon & Cornwall Underground Council. Retrieved 3 November 2012. "BAKERS PIT CAVE". WILLIAM PENGELLY CAVE STUDIES TRUST. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2013. "Longest caves". UK Caves database. Retrieved 15 June 2009. "Reed's Cave". WILLIAM PENGELLY CAVE STUDIES TRUST. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009. "Baker's Pit - Reeds". UK Caves database. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009. "Bakers Pit" (PDF). Stretcher - Newssheet of the DCRO (1). Devon Cave Rescue Organisation: 5. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2012. Transactions of the British Cave Research Association vol 5; no 3; pp 168 & 195 Stub icon This Devon location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Thursday 21 March 2024

Dinas Dinlle National Trust-owned monument in Gwynedd

Dinas Dinlle dig uncovers Iron Age roundhouse and Roman coins Published 20 August 2019 Share Dinas Dinlle IMAGE SOURCE,CROWN COPYRIGHT Image caption, Experts are trying to find out as much about Dinas Dinlle as possible before it falls into the sea A huge Iron Age roundhouse, thought to be about 2,500 years old, and roman pottery have been uncovered during an archaeological dig at a coastal fort. Volunteers have joined experts to find out more about the little-known Dinas Dinlle National Trust-owned monument in Gwynedd before it falls into the sea. The 43ft (13m) wide roundhouse was buried by coastal sand, thought to have blown there during a sandstorm in 1330. Coins found at the fort near Caernarfon suggest it was occupied in Roman times. The "well-preserved" roundhouse - with its 8ft (2.5m) thick walls - was uncovered close to the cliff edge buried underneath 3ft (1m) of sand during a two-week dig. Finder 'had no idea coin was worth £10k' Archaeological study of WWI wreck begins Curious discoveries in Wales "It's probably the biggest one I've ever seen in 30 years of archaeology," said David Hopewell, senior archaeologist at the dig. Media caption, "Race against time" to uncover ancient fort "In another trench we have another big wall which may be another roundhouse but we're not entirely sure yet. "The main problem is that everything is under a metre of sand and we're wondering if it blew in in the big storm in 1330 - so it looks like it's been buried for a long time and it's superbly preserved." Archaeologists' initial estimations think the Roman pottery could be from around 200 to 300AD while the fort is thought to be from the Iron Age, which dates from around 800BC to 43AD. "That's not to say Romans occupied the site but perhaps a tribe lived there that traded with the Romans," said Dan Amor, of the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Experts uncover roundhouse at the 125-acre Dinas Dinlle site IMAGE SOURCE,GWYNEDD ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST Image caption, Experts uncover a roundhouse at the 125-acre Dinas Dinlle site The roundhouse, though, could be the jewel in the crown of the hillfort - set on glacial drift sediment - of which about 30% already been lost to the Irish Sea since 1900. Experts predict, due to climate change, the 125-acre Dinas Dinlle site could be completely lost within 500 years. It is one of 12 sites in the UK and Ireland being monitored by the European Union-funded Cherish project, led by the Royal Commission, to see how climate change is affecting coastal heritage such as Dinas Dinlle. Dinas Dinlle IMAGE SOURCE,ERIC JONES/GEOGRAPH Image caption, The fort is protected as a scheduled monument This is the first archaeological excavation of the hillfort that formed part of a golf course in the early 20th Century before a pill box was constructed on the site during the Second World War. Early maps and the curve of the defences suggest the fort was once entirely enclosed but part of the western defences have been lost to the sea following thousands of years of coastal erosion. "Dinas Dinlle encapsulates the risk to our coastline from climate change," said Andy Godber of the National Trust. "Our coastal adaptation policy for Dinas Dinlle is to accept the loss of this important site, being part of this innovative project allows us to learn more about the history of human occupation here, while we still can."