Kents Cavern, Devon
Kents Cavern is one of Europe's top and most exciting Stone Age caves, with an extensive labyrinth of spectacular and easily accessible caverns open daily. It is one of Torquays most visited attractions.
Kents Cavern is a prehistoric site of immense geological and historic interest in Europe, if not the world. It is one of only two caves (but the worlds only showcave) that three different human species have occupied throughout time and is home to the oldest modern human fossil found in Britain, a 42,000-year-old jawbone.
In 1826 Father John MacEnery uncovered some of the earliest evidence of human antiquity. During The Great Excavation (1865-1880), William Pengelly (the unsung hero of modern archaeology) discovered over 80,000 artefacts whilst devising excavation techniques that are used by archaeologists all over the world today.
Kents Cavern has provided a wealth of geological and archaeological history and the Kents Cavern Foundation feels a duty to share its heritage with local people and visitors of all ages, cultures and abilities through education and outreach to promote its conservation and protection.
Kents Cavern has been owned an run by the same family for over 160 years. During this time it has seen many changes, and going forward the owners have planned to turn part of the property in to holiday accommodation. This was originally the family home of the the Powe family, the owners, and has since been used mainly as admin offices.
The fire alarm system consisted of an older C-TEC XFP addressable that served the reception, shop, education areas and the restaurant. The offices had a Twinflex 2-wire system that was connected to the main panel.
The new system has been specified to take into account the existing devices, hence we have used a HAES 2-loop addressable panel that uses the same Apollo XP95 protocol.
The new panel will now serve all the main areas as before, plus the newly refurbished offices.
The holiday rental accommodation will have its own system based on mains powered and interlinked devices such as you may find in any domestic property. This gives them their own control and independence.
We are very pleased to be working with such a notable Torbay attraction, and we wish them every success with the new aspect of their business and for the future.
Part of the property that was originally dwellings and has since been used as offices. Being developed as holiday rental accommodation.
Plaques honouring the contribution of the original explorer and excavator of the cave system.