B. Harrison — On Oldhury Hill. 525 



granted by the owner to excavate, yet damage to the trees was 

 strictly forbidden. 



A section was first cut parallel with the face of the rock, but no 

 true floor was reached, the rock itself being too near the surface, 

 and forming merely a shoulder under the surface soil. 



Many days at this being unsuccessful, another excavation was 

 made on the slope of the hill just below, and a considerable area 

 was trenched to a depth of about 3 feet. 



Here, however, only Neolithic flakes were found ; and great 

 blocks, fallen from above, and deeply embedded in the soil, 

 presented obstacles not easy to surmount. Later on work was 

 commenced lower down still, at a spot where, in cultivating the 

 ground in former years, relics of Palaeolithic age had been found. 



Two implements were secured, but the rocky conditions tried my 

 labourers' strength ; and to do the work thoroughly horse-power 

 was needed, the blocks in many instances weighing more than half 

 a ton. A good large area, however, was here trenched to a depth 

 varying from 3 to 5 feet. 



The slope of the bold projecting spur below Mount Pleasant, 

 lying about fifty yards south-east of the former digging, was next 

 tried, and here success crowned our efforts, for very soon immense 

 numbers of flakes were met with, and in such profusion that I was 

 prompted to carry on the work thoroughly. 



Leave was asked for and granted for an area of some 9 or 10 rods 

 to be worked over, and ere long finely fashioned characteristic 

 Palaeolithic implements were found daily, as well as flakes, some of 

 these so minute that it seemed as if the actual -workshop had been 

 lighted on. Altogether 49 well-finished implements, or portions of 

 them, and 648 waste flakes, have been found at this spot, leading 

 to the supposition either that this was the frontage of a rock-shelter, 

 or that the material had slipped down from above. We think that 

 it would be highly desirable to make further excavations in this 

 and the adjacent area. 



The great portion of these flakes were found at depths varying 

 from 2| to 3 feet ; and, as a rule, they lay at the base, and im- 

 mediately overlying a gravelly wash. The implements are very 

 similar to some of those found in the rock-shelters of Central France. 



Similar conditions to those of this spur appear on the north-west 

 side of Oldbury Hill, near to an outcrop of rock ; and at various 

 times implements have been found near by. 



Leave has been granted for work to be carried on here. 



in. — Report of the Cobimittee, consisting of Mr. J. W. Davis 

 (Chairman), Rev. E. Jones (Secretary), Drs. J. Evans and 

 J. G. Garson, and Messrs. W. Pengelly, R. H. Tiddeman, and 

 J. J. Wilkinson, to complete the Investigation of the Cave at 

 Elbolton, near Skipton, in order to ascertain whether Remains 

 of PalfBolithic Man occur in the Lower Cave Earth. 



THE Elbolton Cave Exploration was continued under the direction 

 of your Committee until the end of December, 1890. The 



