Three Women in Sark's Gouliot Caves, 1880

The Reverend Henry Constable descended into Sark’s Gouliot Caves. In August 1880, he wrote about it to the Guernsey Star.

Constable was sixty-five and visiting from Hackney. He recommended the caves to anyone “light of limb, firm of foot, clear in brain and brave of heart.”

A reply followed from women who had made the descent. It was signed:

“Three women who went to the Gouliot Caves.”

Down “the chimney”

The Great Gouliot was reached through a feature described as “the chimney”.

Below it, the cave opened into a large space. Its pillars and arches were compared to those of “a great cathedral”.

The guide and the “first woman”

A separate historical anecdote describes a different visit. A Sark guide told a visitor that his companion was the first woman to enter the caves. The retrospective account calls this an exaggeration, made to earn a larger tip.

Only the signature survives

The surviving account does not name the three women. Only their signature remains.

For the cave system and its marine life, see The Gouliot Caves. If you want to spend longer with Sark’s landscape, see our retreats on Sark.

For ferry connections, luggage and what to pack, download our free How to Get to Sark guide.