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Giant's Cave Balcony

Hotwells, Avon Gorge.

The main feature of this small show cave is the viewing platform, which offers spectacular views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and Avon Gorge. The cave consists of a single, graffiti-covered chamber, which was probably a medieval hermitage, and pieces of carved masonry discovered inside may be all that remains of St Vincent's Chapel, a structure visited by William of Worcester in 1480. This sadly disappeared when the protruding, 'stupendous' rock on which it was situated (St Vincent's Rock), was largely quarried away in 1816-1817, as part of a river-widening scheme designed to help alleviate the suffering of the poor. Originally accessed directly via the cliff face, the cave is now entered by a steep tunnel excavated in 1835 below the Clifton Observatory.

Alternative Names: Ghyston Cave, St Vincent's Cave, Cave 10 (Tratman)

Notes: SU1 p.56