Creswell Crags (Church Hole)
United Kingdom · Europe
Britain's only Ice Age cave art and the northernmost cave art known in Europe
Age
~13,000 yrs
Period
Magdalenian (Creswellian)
Setting
Cave
Art form
Petroglyphs
Discovered
2003
Status
Open (Guided Cave Tours)
A limestone gorge on the Derbyshire–Nottinghamshire border whose caves sheltered Ice Age hunters at the very edge of the habitable world. Engravings found in Church Hole in 2003 — including a stag, bison and enigmatic birds — are Britain's only known Ice Age cave art and the northernmost in Europe. The gorge's other caves, like Robin Hood Cave, yielded famous engraved portable art.
Gallery
Notable Features
- ◦ Church Hole stag engraving
- ◦ Northernmost cave art in Europe
- ◦ Robin Hood Cave horse engraving (portable art)
Depicted Subjects
DeerBisonBirdsHorses
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
BookingAdvance booking required — places are limited
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.