Reservoir Hole

{{Short description|Cave in Somerset, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox cave

| name = Reservoir Hole

| photo =Reservoir Hole (geograph 2346640).jpg

| photo_caption =

| location = Cheddar, Somerset, England

| depth =

| length =

| discovery =

| geology = Limestone

| bcra_grade =

| registry = Mendip Cave Registry{{cite mcra |id=753 |name= Reservoir Hole |accessdate=2012-09-16}}

| grid_ref_UK = ST 47465447

| elevation = {{convert|128|m}}

| map = Somerset

| map_width =

| coordinates = {{coord|51.28693|N|2.75478|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| access = Gated; limited{{cite web|url=http://www.cscc.org.uk/access_guide/cscc_access_guide_view.php?Site=167|publisher=Council of Southern Caving Clubs|title=Access Guide|access-date=28 September 2012}}

| survey =

}}

Reservoir Hole is a cave in Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, southwest England. It contains what is believed to be the largest chamber yet found under the Mendip Hills.

The cave was first dug out in 1951 by members of Wessex Cave Club, and further progress was made in 1965 when "Moonmilk Chamber" was reached with the use of blasting. "Grand Gallery" was discovered in 1969, "Topless Aven" in 1970 and "Golgotha Rift" in 1973.{{cite book |last1=Irwin |first1=David John |last2=Knibbs |first2=Anthony J. |title=Mendip Underground: A Cavers Guide |year= 1999 |publisher=Bat Products |pages=115–116|isbn=0-9536103-0-6 }}{{cite book|page=127|last1=Barrington|first1=Nicholas|last2=Stanton|first2= William|title=Mendip: The Complete Caves and a View of the Hills|year=1977|publisher=Barton Productions/Cheddar Valley Press}}

In September 2012, after four years' work clearing a {{convert|100|m}} long passage, a group of diggers broke into a new chamber which was found to be {{convert|30|m}} high and {{convert|60|m}} long.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-19515285|title=Cheddar cave 'biggest in Mendip Hills'|date=7 September 2012|access-date=16 September 2012|publisher=BBC News online}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-19557429|title=In Pictures: Finding the 'biggest cave' in the Mendips|publisher=BBC News online|date=11 September 2012|access-date=16 September 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-19557428|title=Somerset cavers spend their retirement tunnelling into the Mendips|date=12 September 2012|access-date=16 September 2012|publisher=BBC News online}} Prior to the discovery, the largest void under the Mendip Hills was thought to be "Main Chamber" in GB Cave, which is {{convert|23|m}} high.

Before the find in 2012, the cave was already noted for a number of fine formations, and the newly discovered chamber, which has been named "The Frozen Deep", contains pure-white pillars {{convert|5|m}} tall, as well as many stalagmites and stalactites.{{cite journal|last=Hendy|first=Philip|title=Huge new cave found in Cheddar Gorge|journal=Mendip Times|date=October 2012|volume=8|issue=5|page=75}}

The possibility of a connection between Reservoir Hole and Gough's Cave, one of the show caves in Cheddar Gorge, has been raised, as the two caves are in close proximity. The stream in Reservoir Hole emerges only a short distance down Cheddar Gorge.