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Saye's Hole is a Palaeolithic rock shelter located within Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. The site, situated in the limestone cliffs of the gorge, has yielded evidence of human occupation dating to the Upper Palaeolithic period, making it significant for understanding early human activity in the British Isles. Archaeological investigations at the shelter have recovered artefactual and faunal remains that contribute to knowledge of late glacial hunter-gatherer communities in south-western England. The cave's position within the dramatic gorge landscape reflects the importance of such natural rock shelters as occupation sites for Palaeolithic peoples exploiting the resources of the surrounding environment.
Saye's Hole, Cheddar Gorge is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1011916. View the official record →
Saye's Hole is a Palaeolithic rock shelter located within Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1011916.
Saye's Hole, Cheddar Gorge 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 1011916.
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 Saye's Hole, Cheddar Gorge'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.
Saye's Hole, Cheddar Gorge stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.