Hi
Is anyone presently working on this site?
Is anyone aware of who to contact for access?

We worked on the site many many years ago in the hope of eventually finding our way into the Wells master cave.

In the olden days we sought our permissions from the local hospital whose grounds the Cave was in...but I believe much has changed since then...

Richard Gibson..

I don't believe anybody is working on those sites at present and haven't for a while.
I believe the BEC were there last and I am sure it will be written up in a Belfry Bulletin somewhere.

As you allude, the Hospital is long gone and is now housing. I don't know who the land owner is but somebody has planted trees in the lower part of Biddlecombe so I assume somebody still looks after the area.

The sites are wide open and currently taking water.

Hope this is of some use.
I always thought the caves ought to go "big" the site is remarkably similar to the Longwood Valley and associated caves and there is clearly a lot of potential on the southern flank of Mendip between Shepton Mallet and Wells but nothing big has yet been found.
(OK, I concede Thrupe Lane Swallet is quite big, but there is a vast area of limestone, numerous sinks and one of the largest resurgences on Mendip, there really ought to be something big in there somewhere...)

Thank you for this information Les and your additional thoughts...

Resurgence is St Andrews Well in the Bishops Palace at Wells.  I would expect to find  flooded shallow cave.  But do not let me put you off.  Start digging so I can pirate it.

Here is a report that I submitted to the CDG Newsletter (180):

Hey Duncan that is really useful..thank you ....

Tony...."shallow flooded Cave" hypothesis... Ha ha.....

Depth from swallet entrance to the Resurgence 260 feet (ref Barrington & Stanton)

A major disappearing stream...

Known to join the third largest underground river under Mendip on route to the Resurgence....

Furthest known feeder for the master cave is six kilometers distant and almost five hundred feet higher

E.g..... this is very likely one of the most promising dig sites in Britain !

All you got to do is access the master cave  ??--

richardg said:

E.g..... this is very likely one of the most promising dig sites in Britain !

Click to expand...

I always thought so...

Also, Haydon Drove Swallet really ought to be looked at again...

Richardg.. I'll pm you with my contact details. I still have permission to dig Hazelnut Swallet and also to access land nearer the entrance. I have a long history with the cave personally and was last there only a few years ago clearing out the cave again of flood debris.
The problem with the cave is stacking space and getting someone with a license to bang it.
There are only two places in the cave where it is possible to stand up and work there is strenuous.
It's also a summer dig with the water it takes. I intended to fix a metal plate over the grill, drilled with small holes to prevent
large debris entering.
This wasn't done so the entire entrance crawl to the duck will  need clearing out again.
This is achievable with a team of three in a few visits however. I'm pretty sure digging skips and rope are still neatly stowed in the cave.
The way on is blasting following a very small void at the top of the 5 metre pot.
If you are interested I wouldn't mind having another crack at it this summer perhaps? 

Just found this:

CDG N/L (180)

Thank you Tony.

Richard.