Reasons for Designation
Palaeolithic caves and rockshelters provide some of the earliest
evidence of human activity in the period from about 400,000 to 10,000
years ago. The sites, all natural topographic features, occur mainly in
hard limestone in the North and West of the country, although examples
also exist in the softer rocks of South-East England. Evidence for
human occupation is often located near the cave entrances, close to the
rock walls or on the exterior platforms. The interiors sometimes served
as special areas for disposal and storage or were places where material
naturally accumulated from the outside. Because of the special
conditions of deposition and preservation, organic and other fragile
materials often survive well and in stratigraphic association. As such
caves and rock shelters are of major importance for understanding this period.
Due to their comparative rarity, their considerable age and
their longevity as a monument type, all examples with good survival of
deposits, are considered to be nationally important.
The twenty-one sites in Somerset form the densest and one of the most
important concentrations of monuments of this type in the country. The
Soldier's Hole example is regarded as significant for producing not only
Later Upper Palaeolithic artefacts, but also artefacts of the Earlier
Upper palaeolithic, including associated faunal material.
Details
Soldier's Hole is a shallow, wide entranced cave situated on the south
side of the gorge, 40m up from the road and 65m below the plateau. The
entrance and side-tunnel contain spoil left over from excavations
carried out by R. F. Parry (1925-29). The cave has produced Neolithic,
Bronze Age and Romano-British material, but its main significance lies
in the Upper Palaeolithic remains. Seven stone artefacts and an ivory
awl from the Earlier Upper Palaeolithic were found during the original
excavations, and thirteen flint artefacts of the Later Upper
Palaeolithic, implying two distinct occupation horizons. In addition,
Pleistocene faunal remains, radiocarbon dated from more than 35,000
years ago to c.10,000 years ago have been recovered. It is doubtful
whether the areas under the spoil were ever fully excavated, and it is
anticipated that these and other pockets of undisturbed deposits still
remain in situ.
The monument includes all deposits within the interior of the cave and
outside the cave entrance as far as the steep break of slope down into
the gorge.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13204
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
