Andy Sparrow
Active member
Some food for thought. Here is a photograph of a famous group of formations in Cox's Cave Cheddar.
To the left is the Speaker's Staff, in the centre The Speaker's Mace, and on the right an unnamed stalactite and stalagmite. When I worked at Cheddar Caves (1984-1987) all the formations were intact. At that time guided tours had just been replaced with tape loop commentaries allowing the public to wander through the cave at their own speed. In order to protect the formations an automatic alarm was fitted which sounded a klaxon should anyone attempt to touch these formations. There was also a member of the guiding staff present in the cave during this period. Since my departure, and as the years have passed, these protective measures have gradually disappeared. The alarm and warning notice were removed and it gradually became less common for staff to be present in the cave.
This is the situation today. The Speaker's Staff has gone (persons unknown about 10 years ago). The tip of the stalactite was obviously an earlier casualty as it is missing in both photographs. It's sad and it's depressing.
To the left is the Speaker's Staff, in the centre The Speaker's Mace, and on the right an unnamed stalactite and stalagmite. When I worked at Cheddar Caves (1984-1987) all the formations were intact. At that time guided tours had just been replaced with tape loop commentaries allowing the public to wander through the cave at their own speed. In order to protect the formations an automatic alarm was fitted which sounded a klaxon should anyone attempt to touch these formations. There was also a member of the guiding staff present in the cave during this period. Since my departure, and as the years have passed, these protective measures have gradually disappeared. The alarm and warning notice were removed and it gradually became less common for staff to be present in the cave.
This is the situation today. The Speaker's Staff has gone (persons unknown about 10 years ago). The tip of the stalactite was obviously an earlier casualty as it is missing in both photographs. It's sad and it's depressing.