Gough's Cave

Duck into secret caverns, see the ancient elders’ meeting chamber, and prepare to be amazed at the incredible vistas created by stalagmites and stalactites.

Excavated in the late nineteenth century, Gough’s cave is the largest of our show caves, widely considered as one of the finest in the country. The formation of this cave began over half a million years ago, when river water started dissolving the limestone rock. The resulting cathedral-like caverns are decorated with unbelievable rock formations; you’ll be astounded by the soaring chambers of St Paul’s Cathedral and the towering spires of Solomon’s Temple.

Brand new atmospheric lighting enhances the natural beauty of the cave, creating illusions of glacial landscapes, and highlighting some of the most fascinating features. (Don’t forget to look out for the Black Cat of Cheddar – a shadow cast by the light that looks like a cat wearing a bow-tie!)

You’ll enjoy a year round constant temperature of 11C, keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter. This also creates the perfect conditions for ageing the world famous Cheddar cheese! Shelves of maturing cheese can even be seen within the cave.

Our ancestors, the Horse Hunters of Cheddar Gorge, lived in Gough’s Cave 14,700 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age. Archaeological evidence suggests they may have been cannibals, killing and eating their enemies!

Cheddar Man, a hunter-gatherer who lived around 10,000 years ago, is the oldest complete skeleton ever found in Britain. It’s thought that his tribe buried him in a special area of the cave to prevent his spirit passing to the land of the ancestors.