Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England

Cheddar Man replica, Gough Cave, Cheddar Gorge

The Bones of Gough’s Cave

Within the rolling hills of Somerset in the South West of England, not far from Stonehenge, lies the infamous Cheddar Gorge.  Its limestone cliffs are popular with hikers and climbers, while the stalactite-filled caves are open to explore the ancient chambers within formed during the last ice age by the meltwater floods. Since the 12th century, locals have used the caves to mature their cheese, making this the birthplace of the original cheddar. The caves provided the ideal conditions for aging. But there is also a darker side to their history, and it appeared that people here once had a taste for more than just cheese!

Nearly 15,000 years ago, people living in the area seem to have dined on human flesh. Deep inside Gough’s Cave in Cheddar Gorge, archaeologists found the remains of several people, including a teenager and a young child. The bones show clear signs of cannibalism, with deep cuts from tools used to remove flesh and extract marrow, as well as evidence of chewing. Some skulls even appear to have been fashioned into cups for the feast . So what were these Paleolithic people doing? Were they just having dinner? Or was something else going on? These hunter-gatherers who lived during the last ice age in Britain were skilled at making tools and, as shown by the many animal bones found nearby, were also skilled at hunting.  So it seems unlikely they were hungry enough to eat their own offspring. Instead, the evidence suggests a different kind of cannibalism, likely as part of a funerary ritual where they ate members of their clan after death. A slightly less fear-inducing thought for those exploring the caves today!

Another famous find from Gough’s Cave is the skeleton aptly named Cheddar Man. Found by workmen in 1902, alone and near the entrance of the cave. His remains represent the oldest nearly complete Neolithic skeleton found in Britain so far, dating back to around 8000 BC, which makes him over 10,000 years old. He might have died in the cave or been placed there after death as part of a funeral custom. Whatever the case, he likely died of a violent death, given the large hole in his skull.  Cheddar Man was about 5 foot 5 inches, had blue-green eyes, dark hair, and dark skin, and was around 20 years old when he died. Interestingly, DNA analysis also shows that he has direct descendants still living in the area today., hopefully with more of a taste for cheese!

A cavern inside Cheddar Gorge Caves

The Trembling Disease of Papua New Guinea

Cannibalism has long been a part of human history, from the stories of Hansel and Gretel, to desperate times in famine, and to the ingestion of human flesh for medicinal purposes, such as mummia - dried up mummy made popular by the Victorians.  And as the gnawed bones in Cheddar Gorge show, the practice of funerary cannibalism seems to have been around for a very, very long time.   In fact, it wasn't so long ago that this form of ritual was still going on in the remote areas of Papua New Guinea.

The Fore tribe of Papua New Guinea lived in near isolation up until the 1950s, when anthropologists researching the area noted a strange disease among its people. They called it Kuru, or the trembling disease. Sufferers first showed signs of uncontrollable shaking, which would progress to the total loss of control of their bodies, and then their minds, until they eventually succumbed to the disease altogether. Researchers noted that it was mainly women and small children who were afflicted with the condition, which was slowly spreading amongst the population. But what was causing this unexplained neurodegenerative condition among the Fore people? The locals thought it was sorcery, but the answer, surprisingly, turned out to be linked to the cultural practice of endocannibalism, which was spreading the disease from the infected corpse to the living. The Fore believed that after a loved one's death, their qualities could be carried on in the living through the ingestion of the body, including the brain. Women often took this role and would pass small bites to their little ones nearby. Later, researchers also discovered the infectious agent linked to the disease and bagged a Nobel Prize for it.  The infectious particle causing Kuru was not a virus or bacterium; in fact, it wasn't even alive. Instead, it was a type of infectious protein called a prion. Prions could act on normal brain proteins and induce them to change shape, unfolding to become a prion themselves.  This caused damage to brain matter over time, leading to the neurodegenerative disease seen in the women who ingested the infected brains containing the prion protein. Because of this research and public health interventions, the practice of endocannibalism in the Furu people ended over 50 years ago, with the last known person dying of the disease in 2009.

If this sounds familiar, it's because it is. In the West, a similar disease is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), with the cow equivalent named Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or Mad Cow Disease. While CJD can occur sporadically, it can also occur through the ingestion of the infectious prions and resulted in 178 people dying from contaminated meat in the 1980s and 90s. The mad cow epidemic began when livestock feed was supplemented with meat and bone meal from dead livestock, including prion-infected brains. Not to worry - this practice has since been banned, making hamburgers safe once again.

Cheddar Gorge

Top Tips

Located in the Mendip Hills of Somerset in southwestern England, not far from the city of Bristol, Cheddar Gorge is a beautiful natural landmark with cliffs and caves, wildlife, and nature in abundance.

The area has a lot to offer for nature lovers, including hiking, rock climbing, and caving. There is also a pleasant town where one can purchase the obligatory block of Cheddar cheese!

For those wanting an organised outing, Cheddar Gorge offers a visitor’s pass which includes admission to the two caves- Gough Cave and Cox’s Cave, the Museum of Prehistory, and entrance to Jacob’s Ladder - a steep staircase which takes you to a cliff-top walk and lookout tower to admire the Gorge from.

Cheddar Gorge and Caves opening times: Open daily from 10-5 pm, closing at 6 pm in the summer months.

Ticket prices: Adult (16yrs+) - £24.95, Child (5-15yrs) - £18.70, Infant (0-4yrs) - free.

Blue light/NHS staff can get a discount by showing ID at the ticket counter.

For the more adventurous, there are also opportunities for rock climbing at the gorge for an additional fee.

All the activities in the gorge are dog-friendly, even the caves, though my dog was not impressed!

Pay parking lots are located throughout the town just off the main road, and there are public toilets located in the main car park. There are a number of cafes and restaurants along the high street as well, if a pit stop is needed, and of course, cheese shops to stock up on the original cheddar.

If you don't want to see the sights above, Cheddar Gorge is also free to explore on foot.