Kents Cavern in Torquay is a protected European Prehistoric Stone Age cave with an extensive labyrinth of spectacular and easily accessible caverns. The oldest human fossil ever found in north-western Europe was found in this cave making Kents Cavern the oldest known cave dwelling in Britain.
The geology of the cave is of international significance, recognised by UNESCO, giving it official status as the underground visitor centre for the English Riviera Global Geopark. The caverns have inspired many famous writers including Beatrix Potter and Agatha Christie. Its archaeology has fascinated some of Britain’s pioneering scientists, Rev Buckland, Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace and William Pengelly in particular.
Tours around the cave are led by entertaining guides who bring the incredible story of the cave’s Ice Age history back to life. Open all year, plenty goes on in and around the caves all year.
The cave has been privately owned by the Powe family since 1903. The attraction has many awards for quality and visitor reviews give the attraction a high ranking on Trip Advisor.
Opening times – Winter 10am- 4pm for restaurant and shop
Tours will be at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30
Opening times – Summer 9.30am- 4.30pm for restaurant and shop
Tours will run frequently throughout the day. First tour will commence at 10:30
Tours at Kents Cavern are all guided.
Prices
Adult- £8.95
Child- £8.25
Senior- £8.25
Student- £8.25
Under 3’s- FREE
On-site car park- £2
Kents Cavern
Ilsham Road
Torquay
Devon TQ1 2JF
Among all of the attractions in Devon, few can be as old as Kents Cavern in Torquay. It is cave formation that dates back 2 million years and is an archaeological and geological site of Special Scientific Interest and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. In terms of archaeology it has been occupied by various groups of humans since Palaeolithic times and some Homo Sapiens fossils that have been found in the caves are amongst the oldest in Europe.
Kents Cavern was first recorded as Kents Hole Close on a 1659 deed but it was in the scientific Victorian era that it was explored in a way that realised it’s valuable past. It was part of Lord Haldon's estate, until 1903 when it was sold to Francis Powe and Francis’ son Leslie turned it into a tourist attraction. It now attracts 80,000 visitors a year.