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DENEHOLE AT GRAVESEND.
By T. V. HOLMES, F.G.S., F.Anth.Inst., Vice-President, E.F.C.
THE first mention of the recent discovery of a denehole on the
outskirts of Gravesend that I have seen is in The Daily
Graphic of January 5th, 1907,with views of the interior from photo-
graphs taken below. A more detailed account is given in The Times
of September 14th, 1907, and there are some additional remarks in
The Times of September 17th. As to its discovery, we learn from
The Times of September 14th, that a workman was sinking a
shaft in connexion with some building operations. "While
working at a depth of more than 50 feet from the surface, what
he believed was the solid earth gave way beneath him and
precipitated him into the cave. Fortunately he was only
unpleasantly surprised."
We also learn that "the shaft was rather narrower than
usual, being a little less than three feet wide, so far as could be
judged from its choked condition. It descended vertically for
55 feet. At this depth the chalk was reached."
In The Dartford and Gravesend Reporter of September 28th, the
Rev. J. W. Hayes gives an account of a visit made by him and
Mr. Norman Brooks to this denehole. From it we ascertain
that the new shaft, sunk for drainage purposes, was only about
two feet away from the older shaft; and Mr. Hayes thinks that
the pickmarks show the use of a metal pick. He also found
many bones of small mammals.
The quantity of fallen material choking up the cavern, or
caverns, below has prevented all visitors hitherto from giving
plans or sections, and leaves us uncertain on many important
points. Among these may be mentioned the impossibility of
being sure whether these subterranean excavations were all
originally accessible by a single shaft, or by more than one.
I visited Gravesend on September 18th, 1907, and was shown
the exact spot by Mr. Martin, junior. There was, however, no
apparatus available for descent. It may be useful to give here
a more precise account of the position of the pit than appears
in the accounts mentioned. A visitor landing at the pier must
proceed along High Street and Windmill Street (the last named
being a continuation of High Street, southward), till he arrives
at the inn known as "The Old Prince of Orange." There the
"Old London Road," having an easterly and westerly direction,