Tomorrow's weather is forecast to be be wet. The weekend too.
Decided to pop out this evening to Paviland and hunt out the Blackhole
Cave.
I found it. Quite unimpressive. The problem is that in the source
from which I got the info, the sites is identified as a long way
(300m) from what the Gower and SE Wales Guide says is
Upper Blackhole Cliff. I rather suspect the problem is with our guide
as the cave is situated above Blackhole Gut. I'll check some old OS
maps and see what turns up.
From: Trevor D, Ford - Limestones and Caves of Wales (2011)
Upper Blackhole (SS 4422 8560)
"A rubble-floored entrance only 0.5m high at about 60m
O.D. discovered in 1983 seemed to hold promise as a bat roost. On
attempting to enter and while clearing some of the rubble, bones
were noticed and two proved to be human. Subsequent examination
showed the floor to be brown, stony cave earth much disturbed by
animals to a depth of 20cm. In this were broken pieces of
stalagmite, fragments of anthracite coal (the nearest outcrop being
12km away), bones of fox, pig, badger and human remains comprising
portions of a skull, clavicle, rib, tibia, two metatarsus bones and
a premolar. The wear on the premolar suggested the burial was that
of a young adult, but there was no dating evidence, The cave
extends for at least 3m and must represent an archaelogical site of
some importance.