Cattedown
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Cattedown is an inner city suburb of Plymouth, Devon. Its position beside the River Plym estuary just short of the mouth led to its early settlement.
History
[edit]Catherine of Aragon - the first wife of Henry VIII - travelled from Loredo in Spain to a harbour in Plymouth, England to be married. She arrived in Plymouth on 2 October 1501 where, 'she could not have been received with greater rejoicings'. The area that she disembarked or 'set down' was named in her honour as Cattedown. [citation needed]
In 1886, two archaeologists discovered human bones while mining in a quarry.
They included the remains of many strange creatures – hyenas, bison, woolly rhinoceros and cave lions. Among the partial skeletons of 15 early humans was the famous ‘Cattedown Man’ – believed to be the city's earliest known inhabitant and dating back 140,000 years. Archaeologists say he could potentially be the oldest human found in Britain. -[1]
Today, the caves – listed as a national monument by Historic England – remain fenced off and kept out of sight. Plans to turn the area into a tourist and visitor attraction have not yet progressed; more than a decade after they were first mooted.[citation needed]
References
[edit]50°21′47″N 4°07′12″W / 50.36306°N 4.12000°W
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