+-+ Kents Cavern +-+

28th April 2008

Location: TQ1 2JF – 1 mile from Torquay harbour and well-signposted. It is the most famous Stone Age home in Britain with artefacts and remains dating back half a million years. It is a scheduled ancient monument and historical site, as well of being of special scientific interest regarding the palaeothic period.
These caves have a fabulous geological formation and have revealed significant prehistoric finds - bones and flints were dug up in the 1820s. William Pengelly set to work in there in the second half of the century. He found hand axes dating back 450,000 years. William kept records of his discoveries and where found. Between 1925 and 1941, Arthur Ogilvy unearthed many ancient finds, flint hand axes dating from over 450,000 years ago and fossil remains of the sabre-toothed cat, cave bear, mammoth and wholly rhinoceros. The oldest human bone ever found in Britain was discovered here - 37-40,000 years old. Research continues to discover if the bone is from a Neanderthal or a modern human.
It wasn’t a visitor centre till 1903. The Haldon estate - including the caves - was sold to the Powe family. One member of the Powe family, Francis used the caves as a workplace to make beach huts for nearby Meadfoot Beach, his son Leslie spent his life turning the caves into a major attraction; adding the usual visitor facilities. Leslie’s son John carried on the great work and added modern facilities. John passed away in 2000 and his father in 2001. John's eldest son Nick carries on the great work today.

Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:47:43	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:49:43	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:49:55	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:50:23
Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:50:58	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:51:13	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:54:09	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:55:01
Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:55:31	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:55:44	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:56:00	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:56:32
Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:56:40	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 12:57:17	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:00:39	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:01:03
Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:02:10	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:02:52	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:03:25	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:03:45
Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:04:00	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:04:17	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:04:27	Kents Cavern 2008-04-28 13:04:37