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Cavers Uncover Ingleborough's Farming History in £3M Upland Conservation Project
5 Aug
Summary
- Ingleborough Cave Archaeology Project aims to secure future of upland commons
- Cavers play crucial role in uncovering underground archaeological finds
- Ingleborough has long history as common land, with "commoning" traditions still practiced
In 2025, a £3 million project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund is underway to secure the future of upland commons in the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor, the Lake District, and the Shropshire Hills. As part of this initiative, the Ingleborough Cave Archaeology Project is examining the history and biodiversity of the Ingleborough area.
The project has highlighted the crucial role that experienced local cavers play in uncovering important archaeological finds within the region's caves. Caving archaeologist Rick Peterson from the University of Central Lancashire explains that cavers are often the first to encounter these underground discoveries, as they are the only ones with the specialized skills to access the remote cave sites.
Ingleborough itself has a longstanding history as common land, with around a dozen farmers still practicing the traditional "commoning" tradition of grazing sheep on the land under rights dating back to the Magna Carta. Project officer Claire Braeburn notes that over half of England was once common land, but now it accounts for just 3% of the landscape. This project aims to better understand the human interaction with the Ingleborough commons and its biodiversity, in order to preserve these ancient practices before they are lost forever.
