ramblingon

A partial loom weight recovered from an excavation in North Somerset recently. Made of clay (weight 1070g) it was found within a charcoal rich dump of material containing pottery and animal bones.

28th March 2016: It was still quite windy this morning after the passing of ‘Storm Katie’ during the early hours. There were a number of branches strewn across the roads on the drive over to Ebbor Gorge. I was glad to see there were no other vehicles in the car park so the walk should be free from grockles and crappy, yappy dogs! There were some wind blown trees down in the valley particularly those draped in ivy and it was obvious that some clearing work was in progress. Down in the sheltered valley there was plenty of birdsong to listen to and primroses were in abundance, it was peaceful. Up in the gorge there has been quite a bit of scrub clearance and the rock faces are more exposed and accessible, at least until the nettles grow up. There was a good stream of water flowing down through the gorge too.

The damp conditions have encouraged an algal growth on the rock face in the gorge.

Overhead I could hear a peregrine calling but never caught glimpse of it, although I did spot a rather fine nuthatch. Walking down from the top of the gorge there were some early flowering bluebells and wood anemones too. Managed to get back to the car park without meeting anyone – marvellous.

A pleasant mornings stroll out with the dog.

The entrance to Savory’s Hole, the cave is presently occupied by brock.

24th March 2016: with the regular team of Jake, Tav, Nick, Duncan P, Brockers, and Bean came too.

Only clearing this evening, and there was a lot of debris from last weeks effort, plus the obstructing rock was dust! After some time shifting the fractured rock, gravel and some glutinous mud managed to squeeze through [eventually] into the open space beyond. To the left a rising rift c.2m high, c.0.7m wide and 3-4m in length with mud banks, this closes down with some stal blockage, there is a narrow solution tube on the right. This doesn’t appear to be the way forward. To the right of the squeeze there is a continuation of the rift downwards along what appears to be a narrow tube (?) with some air movement; unfortunately a good sight of what is ahead has been obscured by mud and debris pushed through while passing the squeeze. It is quite muddy. After I had extricated myself Nick came through to give a second opinion, which is always useful. One more session to apply some rock engineering technology will open up the squeeze and make digging much easier. What to do with the mud will be our next head scratching moment.

To the Hunter’s Lodge in for the usual debrief, even better when you don’t have to get up for work tomorrow.

17th March 2016: with Jake, Brockers and Duncan P.

Got to the dig to find that a rather large boulder had slid into an unfavourable position and we spent a while trying to manoeuvre it to one side where it wouldn’t cause too much of an obstruction. After much grunting and groaning, beating with a hammer and then, deliberation, it was decided that the best approach was to drill a hole into it and apply a more destructive technology. While Jake, Brockers and DP cleared away the rock debris I got out of the way to sort out the wire and tidied around the bottom of the ladder area, where some spoil could be stashed if required. It was then time to drill some holes including the boulder, that task complete we made our way out. The climbs are beginning to get muddy and require some thought to get up, this is a good caving trip. At the ‘stal’ slope the evening’s work was brought to a satisfactory conclusion; all the while DP was adding to his video clip collection and making a record of events. To the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for debrief and welcome refreshments.

16th March 2016: with the usual participants, but not Dave Turner.

Not the North as intended because on arrival no debris had been removed so was not in a position to proceed. I left the others to start and clear the shattered rock while I made a return instead to the South to drill more hole in an attempt to free the drill bit that has not yet been retrieved. This evenings task was concluded in a satisfactory manner.

A transverse arrowhead described as type petit tranchet and dated Later Neolithic to Early Bronze Age. Picked up on a site in North Somerset recently. I always like to find good worked flint it’s just so tactile. Scale is 8cm.

10th March 2016: with Nick Hawkes, Tav, Brockers and Duncan Price.

DP wanted to shoot some more video sequences on the way in so the rest of us headed off to the dig. Nick and Tav went to the end to clear away the debris from last week while Brockers and me installed some stainless steel hangers on a couple of the climbs. Put a hand-line down the 2nd climb and a hand-line and ladder on the 3rd climb. By now DP had joined us and the events were captured for posterity. Meanwhile Tav and Nick had shifted a considerable pile of rock and things were almost ready for me to do my bit. After all had inspected the prospects ahead I got on with the drilling and prepping ready to create some more debris for next week. The trip out is becoming a bit of classic Mendip caving and when we reach the streamway it’s going to be a good trip. The evening’s work concluded we made our way out and up to the Hunter’s Lodge Inn for the usual de-brief.

9th March 2016: with Dave Turner, et al.

I had been off work today, not feeling too good, but arrangements had already been made and there was a job to do. First job was to go and check out the South Pot while Dave T went ahead to start drilling holes in the North Pot. Quickly sorted out the South then headed North to join Dave T. Holes drilled, prep done, time to leave and conclude a satisfactory evenings work. There should be plenty to clear next week.

Took a day or so to excavate this fine complex of ditches on a site in North Somerset this week, takes almost as long to do the recording after the digging. The dark fill to the right side of the image above (on the left in the image below) is a recut ditch and the latest in the sequence. The date probably ranges from Late Iron Age to Romano-British based on the pottery that has been recovered, but I am not an expert on pottery. Scale is 2 metres.

3rd March 2016: with Tav, Jake, Nick, Duncan P, Brockers, Pete Bolt, Sam Batstone and Pete Hellier.

A big turn-out tonight so a good strong team for rock and debris clearance. I made my way to the bottom with the drill and other gubbins with the aid of Pete B while the rest of the team set about their task. At the bottom spent a little time clearing some of the sediment from the way ahead and making the drilling more comfortable, we utilised the 20+ year old digging kit that had been left behind. 5no. holes drilled into a roof flake to ease forward progress and digging before making our way out to a safe distance to complete the task. Then debrief at the Hunters Lodge Inn, bloody marvellous!

2nd March 2016: with Dave Turner, et. al.

Back down the South Pot for more engineering of the drilling platform, thought we had finished here but no!

One group of holes to free the drill bit stuck in the rock and a smaller group to remove a bulge of rock that will allow the winch to go lower. All rounded off with a satisfactory conclusion. To the pub.

25th February 2016: with Tav Taviner, Tom Chapman, Keith Savory, Paul Brock and Duncan Price.

A strong team tonight concentrated on the clearance of spoil and precariously balanced boulders from various points along the rift. While the others were hauling out skip loads of debris I hammered away at some fractured rock before getting another skip and clearing the debris accumulated at the top of the next climb down. When the debris was cleared I climbed down the rift, tidied away some loose rock at the bottom and slid over a mud bank to reach the furthest point attained 20 odd years ago by Tom and Keith when they were lithe and keen young things! Straight ahead along the rift progress is barred by substantial flowstone but down to the right is a low muddy slot that with some engineering offers a potential way on, I could hear a trickle of water that might indicate more open passage ahead. Worked out a strategy for progressing next session and by then it was time to exit the cave. As usual a debrief at the Hunter’s Lodge Inn.