Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Upper Kendrick's Cave, Great Orme
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 5029 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Llandudno Unitary authority : Conwy NGR : SH78008284 Site Type (preferred type first) : PREHISTORIC CAVE Status : Scheduled Monument
Description : Not to be confused with Kendrick's cave, known since 1880. Bone fragments of uncertain age, but certainly prehistoric, were found when a brown cave underlying modern domestic rubbish was examined. (Davies, 1975)
This is a single-chambered cave, 11m deep, 8.5m wide and 4m high at the centre. It has two entrances, both facing S, and is situated 66m above sea level.
Three trenches have been excavated and these yielded several finds. (Stone & Davies, 1977)
Further excavations revealed charcoal, limpets, animal and human bones, pottery and flint. At least two food vessels were present and a beaker sherd with chevron pattern was probably from the vessel described previously. The date range would be about 2000-1800 BC. (Davies, 1979)
The excavation has continued. (Davies, 1978)
Excavations outside both entrances revealed no further archaeological features, but did reveal a number of artefacts (Rees, 2015).
Bones found in the cave are stored in Llandudno Public Library. Findings consist of human remains from three individuals, bones of horse, deer, pig, and bison. There is also a group of decorated bone comprising of five metacarpals incised with series of lines drawn to a pattern. A mandible was also found, though to be red deer, and doctored by Thomas Kendrick - incorrect teeth were placed into the sockets and secured with glue. Furthermore, there was a second mandible incised with a zigzag pattern. The 19th century excavation details had not survived.(Davies 1995)
