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Some i^otes on I3ce^tiale eai)e» ISuxton. 



By Rev. J. Charles Cox, LL.D., F.S.A. 



XTENDING about half a mile S.S.W. from Marldale, 

 between Buxton and Chelmorton, is the narrow 

 limestone cleft of Deepdale. A cave in this rocky 

 little valley, the property of Mrs. Percival, of Chelmorton, was 

 (in 1884) first discovered to have been inhal)ited in bye-gone 

 times, by Mr. Matthew Salt, an intelligent tradesman of High 

 Street, Buxton. About two years ago, Mr. Salt again visited the 

 cave, and found various fragments of pottery, as well as a variety 

 of bones. 



In the summer of 1889 other townsmen of Buxton became 

 interested in the caves of Deepdale, notably Mr. Robert Miilett, 

 builder, of West Street. The finding of a large skull, which was 

 supposed to be that of a wild boar, as well as a great number of 

 other bones and much pottery in fragments, caused the explorers 

 to desire further advice. At the end of August, and during 

 September, both Mr. Salt and Mr, Miilett put themselves, with 

 great wisdom, into communication with Professor Boyd Dawkins, 

 F.R.S., F.S.A., of Owen's College, Manchester, ' who is so well 

 known to archaeologists as the leading authority on all that 

 pertains to caves and their inhabitants. A considerable parcel 

 of bones were submitted to the Professor's examination, with the 

 highly interesting result, that they were found to include bones 

 of the red deer, with antlers ; of the sheep or goat ; of the bos 

 longifrons, or short-horned Celtic ox, including skull and teeth ; 

 of the horse ; of the fox, including a skull ; of the hare ; and of 

 some large bird. The supposed skull of the wild boar proved to 



