Stump Cross history: exploring after World War II

Today, Stump Cross Caverns is a treasure trove of stalagmites, stalactites and other rock formations, buried deep below the bleakly beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

But although the caverns have been here for somewhere in the region of 500,000 years, they've not always been open for business.

The caves were discovered by a happy accident in 1860 when a local lead miner put a spade through the ceiling of one of the chambers.

Later, in 1922, a Cambridge medical student named Christopher Long set out with a merry band of diggers to see what they could find.

Long was keen to open a show cave, having seen their popularity in Somerset and Derbyshire. His group of cavers discovered a large extension to the Stump Cross system and (he claimed) an underground lake.

A hundred years have passed since Long's seminal expedition – and while the caves are pretty much the same as they've been for tens of thousands of years, a lot has changed for visitors.

For a start, we no longer expect you to descend by rope with a lit candle in your hand. It's a far safer environment at every step – from the initial descent to safety gear.

The chambers and passageways now sparkle under new lighting and, after 3PM, we equip visitors with UV torches that reveal intricate filigree patterns on the cave walls.

The Stump Cross story isn't over yet. There are still more caverns to uncover and survey – and plenty of local potholers wanting to get involved.

While the initial discovery by the Newbould brothers and the Easter expedition of Christopher Long tend to grab the headlines, important discoveries were made after the Second World War by members of the local Craven Pothole Club (CPC).

What is the CPC?

The CPC was founded in September 1929 by Albert Mitchell from Skipton – and it's still active today.

Between the wars, the CPC explored the shafts and potholes of North Yorkshire, including a rope ladder descent into Gaping Gill Hole in 1931.

After the Second World War, the club had around 40 members, but by 1949 this had tripled.

Members included Dr Farrer of the Ingleborough Estate, a local scholar, geologist and historian named Dr Arthur Raistrick and George Gill, then-owner of Stump Cross Caverns.

Arthur Raistrick was a fascinating fellow. He was a true polymath, whose interests spanned geology, archaeology, mining engineering, landscape studies and the organ works of Bach.

He came from a working-class household in Skipton and developed a strong dislike of privilege. This may have contributed to his imprisonment in the First World War as a conscientious objector.

During the Second World War, he decided that he didn't want to fund the war effort – his pacifism wouldn't allow it. So he deliberately didn't earn enough money to qualify for income tax.

He spent the war converting a barn into a home for himself and his wife – and also writing a classic textbook called Teach Yourself Geology (1943).

A sense of his personality comes through in the letter he wrote turning down the offer of an OBE by then-PM Harold Wilson. It began, "Dear Harold, I am deeply disappointed in you…"

George Gill was another key member. He had joined in 1936 and was something of a cheerleader for new expeditions and discoveries.

As the owner of Stump Cross Caverns, he encouraged the CPC to examine sinkholes in the caverns – those limestone declivities caused by water erosion.

What started out as a geological survey turned into a breakthrough.

The discovery of Heaven and Hell

The team were surveying sinkholes in the lower reaches of the cave. Their plan was to work their way towards the entrance.

They'd taken with them food, drink and a cooking stove along with a theodolite (angle measurer) and a tripod. This was characteristic of the club, combining high spirits with low crawls.

When they arrived, they treated themselves to a three-course dinner and coffee.

One member, Bill Rose, found a naturally occurring "chimney" in the rock. He climbed up and saw a rift almost entirely covered by a rock flake. He heard air whistling through the gap – could this be another, as-yet-undiscovered cavern?

Bill convinced the others that the chimney was worth exploring but that the rock flake would have to be removed.

A week later, the group had removed the flake. Bill Rose and Len Cook entered the new chamber, full of intricate and eye-catching rock formations.

This was Heaven – but nearby was a damp, jagged, low-ceilinged passage that they dubbed "Hell".

Further discoveries

Heaven and Hell were extended in 1957 by members of the British Speleological Association.

Several decades later, the CPC made another exciting discovery. They uncovered a well-decorated passage which they called "Great Expectations" – perhaps after Dickens's novel of the same name. 

The team included Geoff Workman, a man whose name is pretty much synonymous with Stump Cross Caverns.

In 1963, he had spent 105 days in the caves – back then, a world record for time spent underground. He was there to analyse the effects of total isolation on the mind and body and to take photos and surveys of the caves.

What next?

There are still passageways and chambers to explore in more detail – and the Dales are likely full of caves that haven't been uncovered yet.

Luckily for you, the region is full of people passionate about caving – so we're confident there'll be more discoveries in the coming years.

The caves that are open to visitors at Stump Cross are mysterious and beautiful. Whether you're a budding speleologist or a parent looking for family days out in Yorkshire, we've got you covered.

See you in the caves!

Wondering what to do with the family this weekend? Book a visit to Stump Cross Caverns – or take a look at our exciting events and experiences.