Elbolton Pot
Bones
Bear skeleton (juvenile).
Position in Cave
In passage rising towards the surface at the base of the first pitch.
Identification
A Raistrick.
Location of Finds
The skeleton was at one time exhibited at Cartwright Hall Museum, Bradford. The bear skull is currently on display in the Airedale Gallery at Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley, in the post-glacial case (accession No. L.8.51).
Additional Notes
Although Anon (1998) gives Elbolton Cave as the source of the bones, they came from Elbolton Pot, as confirmed by the original discover (D. Robinson pers comm.). Elbolton Cave is also known as Navvy Noodle Hole (Brook, et al. 1988).
References
Anon (1998) A Gofer’s View. pp 22-24 in: UWFRA. Anytime…Anywhere. The first fifty years of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association. UWFRA/Dalesman, Skipton.
Brook, D., Davies, G.M., Long, M.H. & Ryder, P.F. (1988) Northern Caves Volume 1 Wharfedale and the North-East. Skipton. Dalesman.
Lodge, E. (1994) A Wharfedale Village. Privately published by the Author. p120 & 121.
Mitchell, W.R. (1976) Thorpe: a hidden hamlet. The Dalesman. 38 (3): 213-216.
Article Author Graham Mullan