EMMCA Cave, Ashwick, Mendip, England, 1985

 East Mendip Minor Cave (Ashwick) or EMMCA is a small passage, located at Ashwick, near Stoke St Michael, on Mendip.

On 5 January 1985 we paid our first visit. It was on the right bank, directly up from the old house, about 50'. It was in a small cliff and depression and was a tunnel approximately 10' long, 3' wide, and looked choked without going down. Ashwick House -

We thought it could be an old dig but could find no reference. We started digging the next day but it ended after 10'. By 6 Feb there were holes off to the left and right and straight ahead. There were also a few bones. The air seemed quite fresh. 

My next visit was 7 August. We spent ages removing a large boulder then dug for a while. We dug again on 4 September, there was a slight draught and many bones. 11 Sept there was a hole down in the floor and one at the top which connects with the one on the left.

By 13 November it had changed considerably. It was now very steep and required three people down and two pulling. We used a double pulley system. The dig was loose mud and silt with many bones. Easy digging but no draught. 

11 December "Emptying buckets is hard work!. Still very "ochreous" and boney. Is getting even deeper".

8 January 1986, as we walked over, we noticed the roof of the old cottage had collapsed since the New Year. We pulled up several buckets and collapsed a few boulders. Entrance now need stabilising.

22 Jan we worked on the entrance and removed the log/tree, then dug from halfway down as we were short numbered. 5 Feb we had more people but abandoned digging after half an hour because of the snow. 19 Feb we dug out the bottom, initially wet clay then dry earth. It began to taper in after a while, perhaps we've gone down too far? Pulled up a few boulders. 

Next visit was 7 weeks later, on 9 April 1986. At the end of the evening we found a hole in the left wall, full of dry leaves. 16 Apr the dig was hard work with few people and very muddy half way down. That was my last visit.

See EMMC(A) on Mendip Cave Registry -