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Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole is a prehistoric cave situated in south Wales on Dinantian limestone bedrock. The underlying geology of carboniferous limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks has created the karst landscape characteristic of this region, producing the natural cavities that attracted human occupation during prehistoric times. The cave's proximity to Deborah's Hole, a well-known site in the same cave system, suggests these features form part of a wider network of underground passages and chambers.
The cave represents evidence of human activity during the prehistoric period, when such natural shelters offered protection and resources to hunter-gatherer communities. Caves in limestone terrain like this frequently preserve archaeological deposits, including stone tools, faunal remains, and other artefacts that illuminate past settlement patterns and subsistence strategies. The microclimate within caves often provides exceptional conditions for organic preservation.
The site is protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, recognising its archaeological significance and the need to preserve it for future study. The designation reflects the importance of cave sites in understanding prehistoric human behaviour and adaptation to the Welsh landscape during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM622. View the official record →
Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole is a prehistoric cave situated in south Wales on Dinantian limestone bedrock. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM622.
Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cave. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM622.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Deborah's Hole Camp (0.2 km), Horse Cliff Camp (0.3 km), Paviland Camp (0.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.