S Engering, S and Barron, H.F. (2007) Doncaster Geodiversity Assessment Volumes 1&2. British Geological Survey Commissioned Report CR/07/025N.
For planning purposes consult Doncaster City Council The report is also available as a PDF download from NERC NORA
Site name: Conisbrough Caves East
Site key: D300
Grid reference:
Site type: cave
Local authority: Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, South Yorkshire
Site dimensions: Site owner: Various
Conservation status: Regionally Important Geological Site Date: 17/5/97
Field surveyor: Tony Gibbs, Derbyshire Caving Association Date: 1997
Time unit: Permian Rock unit: Cadeby Formation, Zechstein Group
Rock type: Dolostone Details:
This map is based upon Ordnance Survey topographic material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Licence Number: 100017897 [2007]
The 1997 RIGS Survey included an assessment of cave systems along the Don Gorge by Tony Gibbs of the Derbyshire Caving Association. The notes from this survey are included below. On 4th March 1997, accompanying Tony Gibbs, the following notes were made:
The entrances to Nearcliff Wood Rift were located at
Badger Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 12 m
Description: Entrance now covered by tipping. Possibility of re-opening needs investigating. Tight entrance about 14 m west of High Cave was a drop of 1.2 m into a passage and low bedding chamber. Higher passage with avens and draughting tubes ended at a choke. Entrances now covered by tipping (1994).
Main points of interest: Slip rift development, bedding plane enlargement, an unusual combination of development types and palaeontology.
Windy Cave
Description: No known restrictions. Quarry location. Entrance is in same quarry as Nearcliff Wood Rift Cave. It lies in an area of Limestone debris under a large overhang. A crawl into a 2 metre high rift which lowers to a crawl and choke. Checked by T.Gibbs, 10/01/93.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development, bedding plane enlargement, unusual combination of development types and palaeontology.
Nearcliff Wood Rift Cave
Altitude: 40 m Length: 88 m Depth: 12 m
Description: Possible threat from quarry tipping. About 400 m North of East end of disused railway viaduct in old quarry, are two entrances, difficult to locate. Follow path under railway to path slanting up on right over old tips. Follow this path back towards the railway, to branch path on left into thick woodland. With luck the entrances will be found nearby, near foot of scarp.
Lower entrance is 10 m down bank from upper entrance. The crawl into the upper series enlarges to 4.5 m climbable drop into chamber (rope useful) with three routes leading off. First is high level link to upper entrance passage. Second is lower and leads to other entrance. Third is the lowest, reached by a further 4.5 m decent, and ending in a choke after a further link to the lower entrance. Bolts were in place for handlines in 1994.
Main points of interest: Major slip rift development, extensive and complex underground system and palaeontology.
Ranch Rift
Description: See Ranch Rift. Suspected wrong spelling of Ranch Rift as described in YSS 1, and therefore described in full under Ranch Rift Cave.
Main points of interest: See Ranch Rift Cave.
Ranch Rift Cave (SK 528 993] Altitude: 60 m Length: 26 m
Description: Care is needed on the approach. The entrance is on the north side of a disused railway cutting about 25 m east of the main A630 Doncaster to Sheffield Road. It can be approached from above, but it is better located from below first. It can be approached with more difficulty from below. Either approach requires care and/or a rope. Slope down from entrance into 6 metres high rift which closes to squeeze to narrow rift, widening and ending at loose boulders.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development and palaeontology.
Overhang Cave
Description: A steep approach, which is awkward in wet weather. At top of fault above Short Rift Cave, left of overhang at top of slope. Approach as for Short Rift Cave. Roomy entrance lowers and enters small chamber with two choked passages in right wall.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development and palaeontology.
Flat Roof Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 6 m
Description: Used as Den by local youngsters. Much altered from original description. A steep approach, which is awkward in wet weather. Not listed in Northern Caves Volume 1, 1988. Approach as for Short
Rift Cave. Description had changed in 1994. Situated to the left of Short Rift Cave on the far side of a short exposed ledge. Twin entrances are now one (left) which had been enlarged when visited in 1994.
The second entrance has been virtually obliterated in by the excavations. The entrance opens out into a small chamber 4 m long by 3 m wide and 1.2 m high and choked at the far end. The roof still contains some small, inactive formations.
Main points of interest: Unusual bedding development, spaeleothems and palaeontology.
Short Rift Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 15 m Depth: 2 m
Description: A steep approach, which is awkward in wet weather. On the south side of the disused railwaycutting diagonally opposite High Rift Cave is an exposed fault. The cave entrance is high up this fault and the climb requires care if wet. Small entrance near top of fault is followed by a 2 metre drop into a 2.5 metre high rift with a boulder roof and ending in a choke. At the lowest point and in the floor a strong draught was noticed on 20/08/94 by T.Gibbs and party.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development, palaeontology and fault.
High Rift Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 27 m
Description: Steep approach needs care, especially in wet weather. On the north side of cutting near large viaduct on north west side of A630 road. Entrance just west of the road bridge and is reached by scramble up cutting side. Just inside is a short climb down to a floor of higher fissure with a boulder roof. Fissure closes down to a small chamber and ends at a choke. Tight squeeze on left enters bedding chamber with no way on.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development, interesting bedding development at end and palaeontology.
High Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 30 m
Description: Lost to tipping. Possibility of re-opening needs investigating. See also Badger Cave (Entry No.36.) and Connection Cave, lost to same tipping. The entrance is high up on the south side of railway cutting 400 m east of the bridge on the A630 Doncaster to Sheffield Road. Roomy entrance with large slab led to chamber with low choked chamber off to the Right. Ahead is a further chamber with various digs and small aven and crawl to flowstone choke at far side. Left is the excessively low bedding plane link with Connection Cave. About 3 m east of main entrance is tight entrance and tortuous passage linking with first chamber in main cave. Now covered by tipping.
Main points of interest: Slip rift development and bedding development/enlargement.
Connection Cave
Altitude: 60 m Length: 7.5 m
Description: Lost to tipping. Possibility of re-opening needs investigating. See also Badger Cave and High Cave, lost to same tipping. Connection Cave is 10 m east of High Cave and led to low bedding passage as described under High Cave.
Main Points of Interest: Bedding development/enlargement and part of larger system.
Sandy Hole
Description: Lost to tipping. Possibility of re- opening needs investigating. Entrance obliterated by tipping by council. Located on the south side of a disused railway cutting about 500 m east of the main road bridge and east of High Cave. There is small tube which became too tight.
Main points of interest: Bedding development/enlargement and phreatic development.
As a geologist, apart from providing evidence of rifting, cambering and slumping during the formation of the Don Gorge, there appears to be no great merit and the entrances viewed seem more fit for animals than for men. For full details relating to the RIGS Site Assessment, it is recommended that Derbyshire Caving Association are approached for this very specialist information.
Ratings: 1–2 very poor; 3–4 poor; 5–6 acceptable/useful; 7–8 quite good; 9–10 very good/excellent; N/A not applicable; D/K don't know
Aspect/Description/Rating
Road access & parking Parking near water tower east of Conisbrough on Doncaster Road. 2-3 vehicles with care. Rating: 4
Safety of access Along very muddy pathways frequented by BMX and trail bikes. Rating: 4
Safety of exposure Rock faces are highly brecciated and have inherent structural instability. Rating: 3
Permission to visit Not applicable N/A
Current condition Some of cave entrances have been covered by landfill. Rating: 5
Current conflicting activities Landfill
Restricting conditions Considered to be moderately hazardous locations, with poor access and potentially unstable rock faces
Nature of exposure Cave entrances in old quarries and railway cutting
Multiple exposures /prospect for trail
Notes For specialist cavers only
Aspect/Description/Rating
Historic, archaeological & literary associations None known. Rating: 0
Aesthetic landscape Old quarried side of gorge now heavily overgrown with biological interests. Rating: 6
History of earth sciences Good location for studying rifting, brecciation etc associated with formation of Don Gorge. Rating: 6
Economic geology One of numerous old quarries along the Don Gorge but no details known. Rating: 5
Notes
Surface processes Rifting, slumping and cambering. Rating: 8
Geomorphology Gorge and rift cave formation. Rating: 7
Sedimentary Large scale sedimentary structures associated with slumping. Rating: 7
Fossils Possibility of fossil remains in fissure deposits associated with cave formation. Rating: 0
Igneous Not applicable. Rating: 0
Metamorphic Not applicable. Rating: 0
Tectonic: structural Cave formation associated with slumping and rifting. Rating: 8
Minerals Not applicable. Rating: 0
Stratigraphy Not applicable. Rating: 0
Notes Caves have limited specialist interest but important for demonstrating rifting and slumping
Caves are of specialist speleological interest but associated breccias, rifts and slump structures are very interesting. Rating: 8