Tramp's Shelter, Chudleigh Rocks

Reasons for Designation

Palaeolithic caves and rock shelters 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 rock shelters 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.

Tramp's Shelter is one of three caves in the valley known to contain significant Palaeolithic deposits. Although partly excavated the cave retains considerable potential for the preservation of archaeological and environmental evidence.

Details

Tramp's Shelter or Tramps's Hole is located on the south side of the Kate Brook Valley, 21m above the valley floor. The cave is situated halfway up the steep limestone bluff and has a south-west facing entrance. The mouth of the cave is about 6m wide and 2-3m high, forming a cavity approximately 10m deep. The back of the shelter is choked with large limestone blocks and stalagmitic deposits. There are considerable remaining deposits on either side of the cave which appear to be overlain by stalagmites. Small-scale excavations in the 1960s revealed small quantities of Upper Palaeolithic artefacts and fauna. Subsequent investigations confirmed the presence of further undisturbed material of this age and charcoal remains. The monument includes the whole of the cave and its contained deposits as far as the drip line at the entrance.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

10721

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Campbell, J B, The Upper Palaeolithic of Britain, (1977)
Rosenfeld, A, Exeter and its Region in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic, (1969), 129-136

Other
Collcutt, S N, The Analysis of Quaternary Cave Sediments, 1984, D Phil thesis
SX87NE-064, REF SX87NE-064, (1991)

End of official list entry

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