Hillier's Cave

Hillier’s Cave lies inside Fairy Cave Quarry close to Stoke St Michael, set in the limestone uplands of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. The cave was found only in 1954 when a quarry blast opened a new passage. It now sits choked with sludge left from the quarry’s work. The entrance drops into a short passage that soon narrows and fills with waste. The St Dunstan’s Well catchment area protects the land around the cave. The cave was first explored by John Anthony Quinn and boys from Midsomer Norton Grammar School. They chose the name Hillier’s Cave to honour Gordon Hillier, the school’s headmaster from 1926 until 1958. The Fairy Caves Management Committee now controls access for visitors. The cave is not open for long visits because of the sludge and tight spaces. Visitors walk a short path from the quarry edge to the cave mouth. The entrance is small and soon blocked by spoil. Inside, the passage is narrow and low, quickly filling with quarry waste. The surroundings show the worked limestone landscape of the Mendip Hills. The cave’s discovery story and the naming honour remain part of local caving history.