Creswell Crags

These limestone crags have the boundary between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire running down the centre. It has been known for a long time that Stone Age people came and camped here for short periods, while they hunted for migrating herds of horse, bison and reindeer.  Bones  have also been found of woolly mammoths and woolly rhinoceros, and the caves were also occupied by hyenas.

The caves that were occupied were on the northern Derbyshire side, with the entrance facing south

Then in April 2003 archaeologists Dr. Paul Bahn, Dr. Sergio Ripoll, Dr. Paul Pettitt and Dr. Francisco Munoz discovered engravings of Ice Age animals in a cave on the Nottinghamshire  side of the gorge. It was the first rock art of this period to be found in Britain, and is believed to be the richest sculpted and engraved cave art ceiling in the world.

Much of the art was created by using a sharp flint tool.  This was used to outline the animal figures.  Bas-relief was also used, whereby the soft rock was sculpted to create 3-dimensional figures that stand proud of the cave wall.

It is now possible to go on guided tours of Church Hole Cave.

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