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Pillar Holes, North Yorkshire
Pillar Holes
Column Holes
Fluted Holes
county:-   North Yorkshire
locality type:-   cave
locality type:-   shakehole
coordinates:-   SD733724
1Km square:-   SD7372
10Km square:-   SD77
SummaryText:-   Grade III; permission, Ingleborough Estate Office, Clapham
SummaryText:-   Explored by Yorkshire Ramblers Club, 1905; extended by Gritstone Club, 1962; and by Craven Pothole Club, 1970.
references:-   Brook, A & Brook, D & Davies, G M &Long, M H: 1975: Northern Caves, vol.3 Ingleborough: Dalesman Books (Clapham, North Yorkshire):: ISBN 0 85206 312 1

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Balderston c1890
placename:-  Pillar Hole
placename:-  Column Hole
source data:-   Book, Ingleton, Bygone and Present, by Robert R and Margaret Balderston, published by Simpkin, Marshall and Co, London, and by Edmndson and Co, 24 High Street, Skipton, Yorkshire, about 1890.
image BLD1P047, button  goto source
page 47:-  "..."
"The Pillar, or Column Hole."
"Leaving the L-hole and walking one hundred and seventy yards to the south south-east a magnificent pot-hole is reached, but on the way several rocky gulfs are passed more or less rich in ferns, one or two still containing in the present month of May huge drifts of snow at the bottom, several yards thick. These are worthy of notice although not remarkable for great depth. In the Pillar Hole a huge column of limestone rises from the centre with a deep chasm all round, so narrow on the north-eastern side that one experiences little difficulty in striding on to the top and peering down into the abyss on the south south-eastern side prior to passing the line over the branch of an overhanging Rowan tree with the intent of measuring the depth, which we found to be one hundred and forty-six feet to the verge of the opposite rock, the pillar itself being four feet lower. Beautiful ferns are abundant, and the handiwork of nature is fine in every outline."

evidence:-   old map:- Balderston c1890 map
placename:-  Pillar Hole
source data:-   Map, the hills in the Ingleton area, probably by Robert R Balderston, engraved by Goodall and Suddick, Leeds, West Yorkshire, about 1890.
image
BS1SD77G.jpg
"Pillar Hole"
item:-  private collection : 27.1
Image © see bottom of page

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