Editing Cheddar Gorge (section)

== Caves ==
[[File:Goughscave.jpg|alt=Dark brown cave interior with water. A white vertically hanging stalagmite shown above a brown mound on the cave floor.|thumb|[[Stalagmite]]s and [[stalactite]]s in [[Gough's Cave]] ]]
The two main caves open to the public are on the southside of the Gorge, owned by Longleat Estate. The extensive [[Gough's Cave]] and the smaller [[Cox's Cave]] are both named after their respective discoverers. Both are known for their [[geology]], and it has been suggested that the caves were used for maturing [[cheese]] in prehistoric times.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.archaeologyonline.org/Documents/FoodDrink.pdf | title=Food and Drink in European Prehistory | work=archaeologyonline.org, published by Saveock Water Archaeology | access-date=12 August 2007 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922235551/http://www.archaeologyonline.org/Documents/FoodDrink.pdf | archive-date=22 September 2007}}</ref>

Gough's cave, which was discovered in 1903,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/www/image.php?search=cave&getprev=73539 |title=Gough's Cave excavation site |access-date=15 August 2007 |work=Natural History Museum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141738/http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/www/image.php?search=cave&getprev=73539 |archive-date=16 December 2008}}</ref> leads around {{convert|400|m|yd|0|abbr=on}} into the rock-face, and contains a variety of large rock chambers and formations.
Cox's Cave, discovered in 1837,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamuk.com/cheddar.htm |title=Cheddar Caves and Cheddar Gorge |access-date=15 August 2007 |work=BirminghamUk.com }}</ref> is smaller but contains many intricate formations. In 2016 Cox's cave was turned into "Dreamhunters", a multimedia walk-through experience with theatrical lighting and video projection.<ref name="Dreamhunters">{{cite web|title=Dreamhunters – The Adventures of Early Man|url=http://www.amusementparksnews.com/dreamhunters-the-adventures-of-early-man|website=Amusement Parks News|date=19 April 2016|access-date=5 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115022029/http://www.amusementparksnews.com/dreamhunters-the-adventures-of-early-man|archive-date=15 January 2017}}</ref>

The Gorge's many caves are home to colonies of [[Greater Horseshoe Bat|Greater]] and [[Lesser Horseshoe Bat|Lesser]] horseshoe bats.<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb01041.x |hdl = 1893/303| url=http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=0FDDAEB00B899ED1E506A093BD4F8287.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=41519 | last1=Park | first1=Kirsty J. | last2=Jones | first2=Gareth | last3=Ransome | first3=Roger D. | title=Winter activity of a population of greater horseshoe bats | journal=Journal of Zoology | year=1999 | volume=248 | pages=419–427 | publisher=Cambridge University Press  | issue=4 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210812/http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=0FDDAEB00B899ED1E506A093BD4F8287.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=41519 | archive-date=3 March 2016| hdl-access=free }}</ref>

In 1999, the [[Channel 4]] television programme ''[[Time Team]]'' investigated Cooper's Hole in an attempt to find evidence of [[Palaeolithic]] human activity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/archive/cheddar.html|title=Cheddar Gorge, Somerset|work=Time Team|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=10 September 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725165621/http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/archive/cheddar.html|archive-date=25 July 2008}}</ref>

These caves are the inspirations for the glittering caves of Aglarond situated in the White Mountains behind Helm's Deep in [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Two Towers]]'', which was later founded as a new kingdom of Durin's Folk by Gimli after the War of the Ring.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hammond|first1=Wayne G.|author-link1=Wayne G. Hammond|last2=Scull|first2=Christina|author-link2=Christina Scull|title=The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion|year=2005|publisher=HarperCollins|location=London|isbn=0-00-720907-X|page=420}}</ref>

Several of the caves have been scheduled as [[ancient monument]]s as nationally important archaeological sites including: Gough's Old Cave,<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Gough's Old Cave|num=1012064|access-date=13 December 2014}}</ref> Great Oone's Hole,<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Great Oone's Hole|num=1010906|access-date=13 December 2014}}</ref> Saye's Hole,<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Saye's Hole, Cheddar Gorge|num=1011916|access-date=5 January 2015}}</ref> Soldier's Hole<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Soldier's Hole, Cheddar Gorge|num=1011914|access-date=5 January 2015}}</ref> and Sun Hole.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Sun Hole, Cheddar Gorge|num=1011915|access-date=5 January 2015}}</ref>