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. Caves
and rockshelters are therefore 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.
Details
Merlin's Cave lies on the south east side of Great Doward, overlooking the
River Wye.
The entrance to the cave is rectangular in shape and is located in the
rock face about 5m above the top of a steep earthen slope which drops away 58m
to the river below. The cave consists of a large north-south running rift
which is about 4m wide and extends 18m back into the rock. On the east side of
the entrance is a smaller rock cavity which may connect with the main cave but
the link cannot yet be demonstrated.
The cave was discovered in the 19th century during iron-ore mining. Further
excavations in the 1920s identified substantial remaining deposits and
uncovered human remains from Late Glacial contexts below a stalagmite floor.
Drilled ornaments of shell and teeth in the same deposit are considered to be
grave goods accompanying the burial, and are identified as being either of
Late Palaeolithic or Mesolithic age. Faunal remains from adjacent deposits
have been radiocarbon dated to about 10,000 years ago and confirm the cave was
open during the latest Glacial period. Substantial traces of these deposits as
well as the stalagmite floor are still visible within the cave.
The monument includes all the deposits within the cave and smaller cavity on
the east side extending from the entrance to about 18m into the cave.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13692
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
