Author: Caroline Lam

Title: Bear’s tooth and fragments of bones, all bearing marks of having been gnawed by the teeth of hyaenas, Kent’s Hole, Torquay.  The specimens marked with a tick were once held in the Geological Society’s Museum.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-77

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Bones of rhinoceros and horse found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay.  The specimens on the drawing marked with a tick were once held in the Geological Society’s Museum

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-76

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Femur, ulna, radius, humerus and tibia of Bear found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by Rev J McEnery.  Those marked ‘Mus GS’ were once part of the Geological Society’s Museum.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-74

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Teeth and jaws of young elephants, rhinoceros, deer, bear and hyaenas found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J McEnery.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-73

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Teeth & bony base of the nose of Rhinoceros gnawed round its edge, found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J McEnery.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-72

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Jaws of a hog, deer, fox and horse found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J McEnery.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-71

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Horns of a small deer, elk and red deer gnawed to their actual state by hyaenas found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J McEnery.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-70

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Palate of a large elk left in this form by Hyaena, found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J McEnery.  Note: annotated ‘Mus G Soc’ indicating that it was once held in the Museum of the Geological Society.

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-69

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Entire head of a large wolf found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev J  McEnery

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-68

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: Teeth of tigers and bears Ursus spelaeus) with jaws from a rabbit, hare, bat, badger, fox, field mice, weasel and cat found in Kent’s Hole by the Rev J McEnery

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-67

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: ‘1. Under jaw of fossil Bear (Ursus Arctoideus) 2. Under jaw of Ursus Spelaeus, both found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by the Rev L P Welland’

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-66

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: ‘1. Upper jaw of a large tiger, in the possession of Sir Lawrence Palk, Bart. 2. Irregular tusk of Bear. 3 Irregular under jaw of Hyaena, found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay by Revd J McEnery.’

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-65

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)

Title: ‘Scull and under jaws of Hyaenas, found in Kent’s Hole, Torquay, by the Rev J McEnery’

Creator: George Scharf (1788-1860)

Description: From: MacEnery, John and Vivian, Edward. (ed.), ‘Cavern researches, or, Discoveries of organic remains, and of British and Roman reliques, in the caves of Kent’s Hole, Anstis Cove, Chudleigh, and Berry Head’, London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; E. Cockrem (1859).

Kent’s Cavern, in Torquay, had long attracted visitors as a natural curiosity but first came to scientific prominence in 1824 when a tourist Mr J Northmore was recommended to visit the site in his pursuit of possible Mithraic artefacts. There were no signs of druids but he did find mammalian remains.

The Rev William Buckland (1784-1856) had been conducting excavations in other bone caves during this period and was therefore alerted. Not having the time to oversee the project himself, Buckland encouraged the Roman Catholic priest Father John MacEnery (1797-1841) to undertake the excavations. Between 1825-1829 McEnery found the bones of extinct animals such as bears, hyaenas, rhinoceros and deer. Most controversially MacEnery claimed to have found evidences of man-made flints in amongst the animal bones.

Buckland, like many geologists in the early 19th century, held the widespread belief that humanity was of recent origin, specifically ‘post-diluvian’ that is deriving from after Noah’s Flood. Anything which diverged from this view was either dismissed or interpreted as being of later origin.

It would not be until the Antiquity of Man debates in 1859 that MacEnery’s findings were finally published.

Date: 1859

Format: Lithograph

Image reference: 04-64

Recommended print size: Up to 16 x 12 inches (40 x 30cm)