The following list is far from complete, and merely lists a sample of references.....



Only a handful of archaeological cave references are given below.
A further excellent archaeological resource is the website: http://caveburial.ubss.org.uk/wales/wales.htm



Appleton, P. (1995) Geology, Mining Development & Limestone Caves, in Minera: Lead Mines & Quarries edited by John Bennett. Wrexham Maelor Borough Council.

Ashwell, A. W. (1962) Ffynnon Galltfaenan, Denbigh , in Cave Research Group n/l No 85. A cave discovered at this spring is now named Ogof Ewenol (see page 7).

Baker, E. A. & Balch, H. E. (1907) The Netherworld of Mendip . Describes one or two caves in north Wales including Upper Ceiriog Cave and St. George Cave, near Abergele. The full text from the book can be seen here: http://www.archive.org/stream/netherworldofmen00bake/netherworldofmen00bake_djvu.txt

Bannerman, Nigel & Diane (2001): The Great Orme Explained

Birchall, Mr. (1996) of Treuddyn. Private communication. Original excavator of Maeshafn Cave.
Blore, J.D. (1964?) Lynx Cave Preliminary report 1962-1964 , Newsletter No. 21, Peakland Archaeological Society
Blore, J.D., (1981?) Lynx Cave Excavations Clwyd, Second report 1962-1981. Published privately .

Blore, J. D. (2002) The Enigmatic Lynx ISBN 0 9541835 0 9. Lynx Cave excavation report.

Blore, J. D. (2012) Lynx Cave, Denbighshire - 50 Years of Excavation 1962-2012
Cave Diving Group (1986) Welsh Sump Index

Davies, F. J. & Ellis B. M. (1960) Caving in North Wales Shepton Mallet C. C., Occasional Paper No 2. One of the earliest non-archaeological accounts.

Dawkins, W. B. (1874) Cave Hunting . Includes a chapter on his work in caves near Llandegla (Rhos Isaf and Perthi Chwareu Caves).

Dinnis, R. and Ebbs, C (2013) Cave deposits of North Wales: Some comments on their archaeological importance and an inventory of sites of potential interest . Cave & Karst Science. Vol 40, No 1, 2013. Transactions of the BCRA.
This can be downloaded free (although you need to register) from: http://independent.academia.edu/CrisEbbs

Ebbs, C. (2000) Underground Clwyd ISBN 1 872265 93 6 Intended for non-cavers. Mainly B & W photos with additional text. Available for £9 including postage direct from: cavecomment@hotmail.co.uk

Ebbs, C. (2000) An Introduction to the Caves of north-east Wales ISBN 0 9522242 2 4. No longer available as a hard copy, but incorporated into this website.

Ebbs, (2013) William Boyd Dawkins Llandegla caves re-assessed . Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions Vol 61, 11-28. This can be downloaded free (although you need to register) from: http://independent.academia.edu/CrisEbbs

Ellis, B. M. (1966) Some Caves of North Wales , in Shepton Mallet C. C. Journal No 1.

Embleton, C. (1957) Some Stages in the Drainage Evolution of North East Wales Trans. of the Inst. of British Geographers, 23, pages 19 - 35.

Francis, J. L. & Thompson Jacob, J. (1938). An Attempt at Sealing Natural Water Holes or ‘Swallows’ in the River Alyn . Halkyn District United Mines Limited. Unpublished (but later published in abbreviated form). A digital copy can be downloaded on a sister website (as a PDF) at: https://sites.google.com/site/flintshireleadmining/artifacts ...under "Sealing Alyn Text parts 1 & 2".

Green, H. S. editor (1984) Pontnewydd Cave - The First Report. National Museum of Wales. Detailed account of the modern methods used in the identification of Wales' oldest hominid remains.

Green, S. & Walker, E. (1991) Ice Age Hunters Nat. Museum of Wales. Good, simple overview of the oldest of Wales' archaeological caves.

Hesketh, G. E. (1954) An account of Excavations in the Cave in Big Covert, Maeshafn , in Proceedings of the Flintshire Historical Society Vol. 15, 1954-55.

Jackson, J. W. (1929) Some Caves & the Club’s Cave at Gwaenysgor , in Proceedings of the Dyserth & District field Society.

Jarratt, Tony. (1964-2008) The set of his caving logs is now available on-line (Vols 1 & 2 cover most of his North Wales trips): http://www.mcra.org.uk/logbooks/?dir=jrat

Jenkins D. W. and Mason Williams A. (1963) Caves of Wales and the Marches. The first formal cave guide book describing about 25 caves in north Wales.

Jones, Cleanth (Un-dated [2012?]) Thomas Kendrick: Llandudno's Cave Man . A 28 page booklet on the man and his family.

Lucas, Peter (2007) Charles Darwin, 'little Dawkins' and the platycnemic Yale men: Introducing a bioarchaeological tale of the descent of man . Archives of Natural History 34 (2): 318-345. The full story surrounding Dawkins and the caves at Rhos Isaf and Perthi Chwareu (see under Llandegla Caves, this website).

Morris, D. & Adams, J. editors (1986) Welsh Sump Index . Cave Diving Group. A few North Wales sumps are mentioned, including World's End Cave and Ogof Hesp Alyn.

Pennant, T. (1796) The History of the Parishes of Whiteford & Holywell . Mentions caves intersected by the Holywell (Boat) Level.

Roberts, Edric (1998) Ormesday Project . Journal No.1. Great Orme Exploration Society. Five pages describing briefly of all the holes (caves & mines) on the Great Orme (with NGRs)

Ruddy, T. (1872) The Exploration of a Cave at Minera Limeworks . In Bygones Relating to Wales & the Border Counties. The cave is now lost or quarried away.

Smith, B. (1921) Lead & Zinc Ores in the Carboniferous Rocks of North Wales , Memoirs of the Geol. Survey. Detailed lead mining account. Includes many cave features and hydrological information.


Smith, Peter, with Platten, G. eds. (1961) A General Reference to the Caving Areas of North Wales . Bulletin No.1. Derbyshire Caving Club. A 22 page early account.

Stone, Tom (2012?) A Glimpse of Llandudno in Prehistory . Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society, Supplement 2. A 28 page account of Tom Stones excavation work 1973 - 1983.

Valdemar, A. E. (1970) The Archaeological & Palaeological Caves & Rock Shelters in North Wales , in Trans. of the Cave Research Group, Vol 12, No. 2.

Valdemar, A.E. & Jones, R.D. (1970) An initial report on the archaeological and palaeontological caves and rock shelters in North Wales . Transactions of the Cave Research Group of Great Britain 12(2): 99-107.


White, Mark J. (2017) William Boyd Dawkins & the Victorian Science of Cave Hunting . A detailed and thorough assessment of Dawkins' work with a lengthy analysis of the Cresswell Crags affair