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Viscount Weymouth also encountered difficulties when he applied for an alcohol licence for the restaurant. Objections were raised by local licenced victuallers and by various churches. The initial application was refused, but was granted by magistrates a year later, in 1937, provided that alcohol was on sale all year round. The present entrance, at road level, was constructed in 1958, requiring the removal of the steps and siting two ticket kiosks at the new gate. Later additions to the buildings and alterations have largely obscured Page and Jellicoe’s building, although one of the original kiosks remains. New attractions, increasing administration, and the need for a larger museum led the drive for expansion. Eventually the museum was moved across the road into the cottage which had been Gough’s family home and later a tea garden. Gough’s Cave proved to be a popular and lucrative tourist attraction, with an admission fee of a shilling (5p) in 1935. Almost 30,000 visitors came to the cave each year and even more patronised the snack bar. When Longleat took over the lease of Cox’s Cave this was included in the attractions and in 1967 Jacob’s Ladder, the Lookout Tower and Pavey’s Cave were purchased. Pavey’s Cave was a roofed-in quarry with mined passages close to Cox’s Cave,
CAVING
View from across the Gorge
primarily used for exhibitions. It later became the Waterfall Cave, with a pumped cascade, and then Fantasy Grotto. It was linked to Cox’s Cave in 1987, when the Crystal Quest, based on the Lord of the Rings, was opened. Latterly, the two caves became Dream Hunters, a stunning audio-visual depiction of life in the Stone Age. The income from Cheddar largely helped finance the Longleat Safari Park,
which was opened in 1966 at the same time as Longleat House was opened to the public. On becoming the sixth marquess, the new viscount, Alexander, later to become the Bohemian seventh marquess, also took a keen interest in the Cheddar attractions. The caves are now closed, due to Covid, but it is hoped that they will one day again be opened for the enjoyment and education of the public.
Gough’s entrance c. 1930
several caving publications and until his retirement was a caving instructor at Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves MENDIP TIMES • MAY 2021 • PAGE 65
