Speedwell Cavern

Speedwell Cavern
Speedwell Cavern entrance
Location	Castleton, Derbyshire
Coordinates	53°20′29″N 1°47′32″W / 53.3414°N 1.7921°W / 53.3414; -1.7921Coordinates: 53°20′29″N 1°47′32″W / 53.3414°N 1.7921°W / 53.3414; -1.7921
Geology	Limestone
Website	Speedwell Cavern official website

The Speedwell Cavern is one of the four show caves in Castleton, Derbyshire, England.

It consists of a horizontal lead miners' adit (a level passageway driven horizontally into the hillside) leading to the cavern itself, a limestone cave. The adit is permanently flooded, resulting in Speedwell Cavern's (locally unique) feature: after descending a long staircase, the visitor makes the journey into the cave by boat. Originally the guide propelled the boat by pushing against the walls with his hands, later the boat was legged through, and now it is powered by an electric motor.

At the end of the adit, the visitor alights from the boat and walks into the cave to see the fluorspar veins, the stalactites and stalagmites, and the so-called "Bottomless Pit". This pit is an extremely deep vertical shaft, now choked to within 20 metres (66 ft) of the surface by rock spoil dumped by miners. The original depth of the shaft has been estimated, from the amount of spoil placed in the shaft over the years, at around 150 metres (490 ft).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Speedwell Cavern.

A connection was discovered in 1999 between the Speedwell Cavern system and Titan, the largest natural shaft in the UK, which is 141.5 metres (464 ft) high.

Places of Interest in Derbyshire

Castles and military sites	Ardotalia (Melandra Castle) Bolsover Castle Codnor Castle Duffield Castle Peveril Castle Pilsbury Castle

Churches and religious sites	Anchor Church Chesterfield's Crooked Spire Derby Cathedral

Museums and cultural sites	Buxton Crescent Buxton Opera House Buxton Museum & Art Gallery Derby Museum & Art Gallery Devonshire Dome Pickford's House Museum

Natural landmarks and outdoor spaces	Alport Castles Black Rocks Blue John Cavern Carsington Water Creswell Crags Derby Arboretum Dovedale Foremark Reservoir Heights of Abraham Howden Reservoir Kinder Scout Ladybower Reservoir Longdendale Reservoir Chain Longdendale Trail Longshaw Estate Mam Tor Monsal Dale Ogston Reservoir Peak Cavern Poole's Cavern Shining Cliff Woods Speedwell Cavern Thorpe Cloud Treak Cliff Cavern

Prehistoric landmarks	Arbor Low Hob Hurst's House Minninglow Nine Ladies Stone Circle

Stately homes	Alfreton Hall Barlborough Hall Bradbourne Hall Bradley Hall Bretby Hall Calke Abbey Chatsworth House Coxbench Hall Ednaston Manor Elvaston Castle Eyam Hall Haddon Hall Hardwick Hall Hartington Hall Ilam Park Kedleston Hall Longford Hall Melbourne Hall Norbury Hall Oakhurst House Parwich Hall Radbourne Hall Renishaw Hall Riber Castle St Helen's House Sudbury Hall Sutton Scarsdale Hall Swarkestone Hall Pavilion Thornbridge Hall Tissington Hall Willersley Castle Wingfield Manor

Transport and industry	Barrow Hill Engine Shed Cromford and High Peak Railway Cromford Mill Derby Silk Mill Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway Derwent Reservoir Derwent Valley Mills Ecclesbourne Valley Railway High Peak Junction Leawood Pump House Midland Railway – Butterley Millennium Walkway, New Mills National Tramway Museum Odin Mine Peak Rail Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre Stainsby Mill

See also	Well dressing

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