GM622

Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole  

07/09/2011  

Designated  

Swansea  

Rhossili  

243410  

186286  

Monument  

Cave  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument, also known as Deborah’s Cliff Shelter, comprises a natural cave set into the steep carboniferous limestone cliff face overlooking the sea and The Knave to the south-west. The cave is accessed via a narrow terrace that extends along the cliff in front of the cave. The entrance measures 1.7m in height and 2.7m in width at its base. It measures 2.9m in depth and possesses an earthen and stone rubble floor. Access to a secondary chamber is obstructed by stone rubble. There is a flat-topped mound projecting seawards outside of the cave entrance from which bone and pottery dated to the Bronze Age have been recovered. The mound is semi-circular in shape on plan and measures 3.6m in diameter. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric land use, settlement and economy. The cave retains well preserved deposits of significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, layout and functional detail. The scheduled area comprises of the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.