Scheduled MonumentsEnglandKent's Cavern, Torquay

Kent's Cavern, Torquay

England
List entry 1010745
Nation
England
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Kent's Cavern is a limestone cave system located in Torquay, Devon, which has yielded evidence of human occupation spanning from the Pleistocene period through the medieval era. The cave has been the subject of archaeological investigation since the eighteenth century, with excavations revealing artefacts and faunal remains indicative of Palaeolithic habitation, making it one of the most significant cave sites in Britain for understanding early human settlement. The physical structure comprises a series of chambers and passages within the limestone bedrock, with deposits containing stone tools, bone implements, and evidence of hearths that attest to sustained occupation by hunter-gatherer communities. The site's stratigraphic complexity and the range of material culture recovered have contributed substantially to scholarly understanding of Pleistocene and subsequent prehistoric settlement patterns in south-western Britain.

Kent's Cavern, Torquay is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010745. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Kent's Cavern, Torquay?

Kent's Cavern is a limestone cave system located in Torquay, Devon, which has yielded evidence of human occupation spanning from the Pleistocene period through the medieval era. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010745.

Who is responsible for protecting Kent's Cavern, Torquay?

Kent's Cavern, Torquay 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 1010745.

What other scheduled monuments are near Kent's Cavern, Torquay?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Prehistoric field system at Walls Hill (0.9 km), Torre Abbey (2.7 km), St Michael's Chapel, Chapel Hill (3.3 km).

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