Jack Rattenbury's Cave

mrodoc

Well-known member
This is not a cave but an adit exposed by the big old landslip between Beer and Branscombe, know as the Hooken Adit.  As far as I can ascertain this was worked from the seaward side and certainly detailed examination doesn't show convincing evidence of its continuation inland to the old stone quarries outside Beer. There is also an intervening valley. However to add to the mystery, my late godfather Derrick Warren always insisted he was taken into the Beer Quarry Caves and then recalls looking out over the sea. He was usually a reliable witness, working as he did for the Royal Ordnance Survey for many years. He wrote several books on local curiosities and industrial archaeology so I have never been able to dismiss his tale outright.  He also tells a fascinating story about the phantom cottage of Dartmoor. Here is a view out of the adit with a VFC in the photo.
 

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mikem

Well-known member
https://steemit.com/travel/@snowdropjess/a-smuggling-tour-and-government-created-crimes
 
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