Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet

Nearest town:
Wells (10km SE)
OS reference:
ST500549
OS sheets:
182, 183
Latitude:
51° 17' 25.73 N
Longitude:
2° 43' 1.63 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet (Cave / Rock Shelter) by juamei

Bronze age artefacts from Charterhouse Warren Farm now in a display case at Wells museum.

juamei
juamei Apr 25, 2011

Articles

Miscellaneous

Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet
Cave / Rock Shelter
jimit
jimit Jan 16, 2003

As an avid caver in this region I was aware of the use by Paleo/Neolithic peoples of the more open rock shelters as dwelling places, perhaps on a temporary basis. The seemingly deliberate placement of various artifacts in the “non-livible-in” swallets appears to be another example of how our ancestors propitiated the “Gods” of the unknown.
Swallet holes can certainly appear over night especially after heavy rain and can be very deep. Manor Farm swallet , near Charterhouse, opened up during the floods of 1968 into a shaft over 11M deep and would have been accessible with primitive ropes had it happened in the past. Unfortunately it is now used as a farm dump. What a legacy to leave our descendants!

Miscellaneous

Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet
Cave / Rock Shelter
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jan 16, 2003

I found a fascinating article online about Swallet holes on the Mendips, and their possible uses in the Neolithic. Swallet holes are natural vertical caves – they sometimes open up overnight, and are difficult and dangerous to enter. But they’ve been found containing bones, fine stone axes, pottery, and stones that aren’t local geologically.

The Priddy Circles are in an area with a very high density of swallet holes, which date to older than the circles themselves. Is this why the circles were sited here? What connection is there between them? It’s all very interesting.

Sites within 20km of Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet

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