The Jawbone of Kents Cavern

In 1927 a group of excavators unearthed the most exciting find ever found in Kents Cavern. A jaw fragment and three teeth were discovered and are now known to be the oldest find of a modern human in North-West Europe.

The UK's Oldest Human Fossil

The Jawbone of Kents Cavern, found in 1927, has been carbon dated as 41,000-44,000 years old, making it the UK's oldest human fossil.

After the Pengelly excavation, activity in the cave drastically reduced. Often, small guided tours would take place, but much of the digging had ceased. However, in the 1920s, renewed interest was sparked when a skull was discovered outside, in a small crack on the cliff face, in which the cave resides. The skull, which was dated at 15,000 years old, increased interest, with many from the Torquay Natural History Society believing that the cave might still hold some hidden treasures.