Trent & Peak Archaeology / The University of Nottingham

Mortimer’s Hole  Castle Rock cave CD1 Description - CD1, Mortimer’s Hole, Castle Rock Tunnel cave leading from Castle upper bailey down to Brewhouse Yard. Medieval in parts. From modern access route steps to gate. Modern entrance 001 stone vaulted looks med, gothic arches. From arched doorway four stone ribs then low arched opening leading to steps down through highly eroded soft sandstone passage no toolmarks 002. Patch of modern concrete c. 1.2m2 on left going down. Ten steps some concrete some sandstone worn deep through descending passage to junction at 003. 003 flattened area between ramp (004) up to Mortimer's Hole old entrance (005). Some uneroded areas of toolmarking on encrusted sandstone. 004 steep ramp up to 005 Mortimer's Hole original entrance. Sandstone steps highly eroded and in central area eroded away entirely. No lighting or public access in this area. 005 vertical shaft 2m diameter by 4m depth with partial stone lining and spiral stairs visible closer to 004. Grill at top and iron fence around. Partially below wall of Ducal Palace. 006 stepped curving passage down to gun platform 007. Sandstone eroded in most places but toolmarking visible in some areas. Clear arched vault close to 003, with herringbone toolmarking - ?medieval cf. MacCormick 2000. c.25 steps curving down to gun platform. Mostly replaced in concrete. Here quite a lot of remedial work in concrete including areas textured to look like stone walling. Also fibreglass housings presumably covering steelwork. 007 gun platform. Open to plain air, presumably once covered and collapsed. Flat-based passage c. 8m long with two lots c. 1m wide cut out to overlook the south. Both now walled up with irregular coursed stone. Hole cut at head height to the west. Passage open from c. 1.6m high to the south. Both walls marked with prominent 'cannon-ball holders'  probable erosion patterns. 008 passage curving to right and sloping downwards quite steeply, no steps. Curved ceiling c. 3m high, flat-bottomed floor. Toolmarks mostly eroded but some blackened patches remaining in places. 'Cannon-ball' erosion prominent on eastern side. Large fissure across section of tunnel partly walled up with rough coursed stone blocks on west side. Arched opening at south end of 008, close to top of 009 steps. Walled up with coursed stone and window inserted 1m up. 009 stepped passage running right down to Brewhouse yard entrance. 66 concrete steps from 008  down to 012 Brewhouse yard gate, with central iron handrail. Ceiling arched and high in places  up to 4m. Mostly eroded smooth but some patches of toolmarking esp at head height and above. 010 short passage leading to south-facing window, good toolmarking above bedding plane. C. 2.5m long, narrows to 0.5m wide by 0.8m high at window. 011 vestigial stepped passage running to ?Rock Cottage? Running to north-east. Highly eroded steps but not all way down to current floor level in 009. Brick vaulted over at top 3” brick? With recessed brick wall at NE end, and possible opening above. Steps begin at modern head-height suggesting some truncation. 012 exit to Brewhouse Yard. Curved aperture c.1.8 x3m with coursed stonework creating good gothic arch. Metal gate, locked.