Our final seminar for 2025 is on Monday 19.30-21.00! It promises to be an interesting look at interesting speleogenetic and geological features in the new Redhouse lane Swallet discoveries. It would be great to see as many of you there as possible, all are welcome to attend.
The Symonds Yat Cave System, Forest of Dean; initial scientific findings in the recent Redhouse Lane Swallet discoveries
With: Mark Tringham, Geologist
Time: Mon 08-Dec 2025, 19:30 to 21:00 GMT.
To Watch: see Joining via Zoom.
Photo: Bartek Biela
Hand-in-hand with the recent exploration, conservation and surveying in Redhouse lane Swallet, initial findings have been made on a range of interesting speleogenetic and geological features. In particular, knowledge has been gained on the relict and present day drainage routes in the system that are contiguous with parts of the Wet-Sink-Slaughter Stream Cave. Copious amounts of cryogenic sediments have been found including powdery calcite in the centre of many passages, fluffy mud and other mud mound features, bouldering and perched sediments on passage sides. Running North-South through the centre of the newly found part of Redhouse a prominent monocline structure has been intersected and this geological structure has impacted on passage orientation and character, bringing the cave across and up stratigraphically from the Lower Dolomite Formation into the Crease and Whitehead Limestones. Within the Crease Limestone colourful iron mineralisation and sandstone dykes have been seen in some places and these are likely related to Intra-Carboniferous paleo-karst development. Many of the very large passages found, by far the biggest in the Forest of Dean, follow massive wrench-faults commonly containing impressive breccias many metres in width and horizontal slickensides.
Much remains to be done on recording these and other features before any comprehensive analysis is possible. However, as before with Wet Sink-Slaughter Stream Cave part of the Symonds Yat Cave System, science can point the way to further finds and will continue feeding into the renewed impetus on exploration and digging that has been handsomely rewarded during the last 14 months.
The Symonds Yat Cave System, Forest of Dean; initial scientific findings in the recent Redhouse Lane Swallet discoveries
With: Mark Tringham, Geologist
Time: Mon 08-Dec 2025, 19:30 to 21:00 GMT.
To Watch: see Joining via Zoom.
Photo: Bartek Biela
Hand-in-hand with the recent exploration, conservation and surveying in Redhouse lane Swallet, initial findings have been made on a range of interesting speleogenetic and geological features. In particular, knowledge has been gained on the relict and present day drainage routes in the system that are contiguous with parts of the Wet-Sink-Slaughter Stream Cave. Copious amounts of cryogenic sediments have been found including powdery calcite in the centre of many passages, fluffy mud and other mud mound features, bouldering and perched sediments on passage sides. Running North-South through the centre of the newly found part of Redhouse a prominent monocline structure has been intersected and this geological structure has impacted on passage orientation and character, bringing the cave across and up stratigraphically from the Lower Dolomite Formation into the Crease and Whitehead Limestones. Within the Crease Limestone colourful iron mineralisation and sandstone dykes have been seen in some places and these are likely related to Intra-Carboniferous paleo-karst development. Many of the very large passages found, by far the biggest in the Forest of Dean, follow massive wrench-faults commonly containing impressive breccias many metres in width and horizontal slickensides.
Much remains to be done on recording these and other features before any comprehensive analysis is possible. However, as before with Wet Sink-Slaughter Stream Cave part of the Symonds Yat Cave System, science can point the way to further finds and will continue feeding into the renewed impetus on exploration and digging that has been handsomely rewarded during the last 14 months.
