Rhino Rift

Rhino Rift
Map showing the location of Rhino Rift
Map showing the location of Rhino Rift
LocationCharterhouse, Somerset, UK
OS gridST48475557
Coordinates51°17′49″N 2°44′25″W / 51.296958°N 2.740387°W / 51.296958; -2.740387
Depth147 metres (482 ft)
Length253 metres (830 ft)
Discovery1971
GeologyLimestone
Entrances1
HazardsLoose boulders
AccessRestricted
RegistryMendip Cave Registry[1]

Rhino Rift is a cave near Charterhouse, in the Carboniferous Limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, England. The cave is part of the Cheddar Complex SSSI.

It is 253 m in length and reaches a depth of 147 m.[2]

The cave was discovered in 1971 after a successful dig by members of the Wessex Cave Club.[3] Previous digging by the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society had unearthed remains of extinct animals, hence the cave's name.[4]

The cave is locked and access is controlled by the Charterhouse Caving Company.

Further reading

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  • D. T. Donovan, R. D. Stride & A. M. Ap Simon, Rhino Rift Log: A record of the excavations from 9 Nov 1947 to 13 June 1948 (Excavation log including plans & sections, MS in 19 cm 8vo notebook), library of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Rhino Rift". Mendip Cave Registry & Archive. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Mendip". UK and Ireland Cave Lengths and Depths. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
  3. ^ Audsley, A., 1971. The history of the present dig at Rhino Rift. WCC Jnl 11 (134) pp236-240.
  4. ^ Donovan,D.T., 1951. Report on Rhino Rift. UBSS Proceedings, 6(2), pp 213-0
  5. ^ Transactions of the Cave Research Group of Great Britain, vol. 14 (1972), p. 191