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Gough's Old Cave is a natural limestone cave situated near Cheddar in Somerset. The cave has yielded archaeological material spanning the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods, making it significant for understanding early human occupation of the region. The site shows evidence of use by hunter-gatherer populations during the post-glacial period, with finds indicating sustained activity within the cave during the early prehistoric era. As a documented natural cave with recorded archaeological deposits, Gough's Old Cave represents an important testament to human habitation in the Mendip limestone landscape during the earliest phases of British prehistory.
Gough's Old Cave is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1012064. View the official record →
Gough's Old Cave is a natural limestone cave situated near Cheddar in Somerset. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1012064.
Gough's Old Cave is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1012064.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Romano-British settlement on Stoke Moor (4.9 km), Duck decoy east of Barrow Wood Lane (5.5 km), Westbury village cross (6.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Gough's Old Cave'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.
Gough's Old Cave stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.