Gough's Cave

Gough's Cave is a show cave in Cheddar, England, extending about three and a half kilometers into the Mendip Hills. The system consists of several chambers with limestone formations, underground river passages, and rooms connected in part by narrow corridors.

Richard Cox Gough discovered new sections between 1892 and 1898 and made the cave accessible to the public through excavations and expansions. In 1899 he arranged for electric lighting to be installed, allowing safe guided tours through the passages for visitors.

The cave takes its name from Richard Cox Gough, who carried out major work here in the late 19th century and opened new sections for visitors. Archaeologists found human remains and tools from the Old Stone Age, showing how people used this cave as shelter and for burials more than 14000 years ago.

The first roughly 800 meters are accessible to visitor groups accompanied by guides through the lighted passages. The floor can be slippery in some areas, and the temperature stays cool and steady throughout the year.

The cave maintains constant conditions that favor maturing Cheddar cheese, and some producers still use the chambers for storage today. This practice connects the place to a local tradition stretching back over centuries.