Carslwark Oyster bed question

[EFRESHW]

I feel silly for asking, so here goes:
I remember reading / hearing somewhere that Carlswark Cavern's Oyster Bed is the largest in Europe. Can anyone confirm this? I'm looking for a source.

More broadly: I'm looking for information on Carlswark Cavern. I'm just really interested in the place, don't know much about it and have tried to scour the internet for any of it's history with no avail.

Thanks in advance

 

[littlelegs]

I was told that some of it was removed and placed in painshill park's grotto in the 1800's by the grounds men there when I was doing a fireworks display, don't know if that's true but would wb odd non caver groundsmen knew of carlswalk etc

 

[Rob]

I've never heard that quote before, but if it is true then the addition of the Stoney Master Cave last year has probably doubled it in size! If you like Carlswark then you gotta go there 👍

 

[Mrs Trellis]

Lots of stuff on the 'net. Do you know how to google for example?
Here's just a sample:-

Eyam Plague Village | Eyam Village in the Peak District | Underground

Picturesque Eyam Village in the Peak District - Underground Eyam

www.eyamvillage.org.uk

Caves of Stoney Middleton | Stoney Middleton Heritage

As one leaves Stoney Middleton on the A623 there are a number of obvious entrances in the cliffs above the last houses and the Lovers Leap Garage. None are of any extent, except that one is a mined entrance and is blocked at an unfilled shaft to surface beyond which there may be extensive workings.…

smhccg.org

Carlswark project

General information about the Stoney Middleton area

Locations: Peak District, Location: Derbyshire, Location: Staffordshire, Caves, Mines, Potholes, Caving, Potholing, Guides, Surveys, Speleology, Hydrology

peakdistrictcaving.info

Painshill Park Grotto:-

The Crystal Grotto at Painshill Park - the highlight of your visit

The Crystal Grotto is a magical, naturalistic cave, with stalactites covered in sparkling crystals, that captivates both children & adults.

www.painshill.co.uk

Plenty of folks knew about Carlswark as it was a show cave - "the Wonder Cavern". Grotto construction was a fashion and they had speleothems removed from caves - the removal probably being done by miners.

 

[EFRESHW]

Hello Mrs Trellis! Thank you for your lovely information! Yes, I've read through these quite a few times before, but it was lovely that you did all this research for me! Fortunately there has been a few that have messaged me about this post with book recommendations and a PDF, which I had never seen before. Thank you to all those who reached out to me !

 

[Pitlamp]

More broadly: I'm looking for information on Carlswark Cavern. I'm just really interested in the place, don't know much about it and have tried to scour the internet for any of it's history with no avail.

You'll find all you need to know if you spend some time in your own caving club's library.
Particularly journal articles originating from John Beck.

 

[Pitlamp]

And whilst I remember, John Beck's thesis on the caves in the Peak District is very helpful. Next time you're planning on visiting Greenclose let me know beforehand and I can show you a copy of John's thesis (which was privately published, not in a caving publication).

 

[Mrs Trellis]

"The Sinkhole" looks like a place of great interest now after the discovery of the SMMC. Another is the site of the original entrance to the "Wonder Cave" which is apparently blocked by a fall of rocks stacked above irt.

 

[AR]

And whilst I remember, John Beck's thesis on the caves in the Peak District is very helpful. Next time you're planning on visiting Greenclose let me know beforehand and I can show you a copy of John's thesis (which was privately published, not in a caving publication).

John's thesis is online and downloadable- https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=9&uin=uk.bl.ethos.237913 (second link on this) but it is nearly 150Mb

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks AR; didn't know it can be accessed online. It should be regraded as essential reading for any serious Peak District caver.

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Love that roof photo. I presume this is a brachiopod death bed - maybe sudden anoxic conditions or sudden burial?

 

[pwhole]

J

John's thesis is online and downloadable- https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=9&uin=uk.bl.ethos.237913 (second link on this) but it is nearly 150Mb

I have an OCR version that's just over 9MB - obviously compressed, but searchable as a result.

 

[Mrs Trellis]

#11 - Gigantoproductus giganteus; from the name I'm guessing it was pretty big.

 

[Brains]

#11 - Gigantoproductus giganteus; from the name I'm guessing it was pretty big.

About the size of a grapefruit, and jagged enough to be really painful on your back when shuffling along...