Wookey Hole Caves the water emerging from the underground caverns at Wookey Hole. The lead in the water is believed to have affected the quality of the paper produced. The designation of the water catchment area for Wookey Hole, covering a large area of the Mendip Hills as far away as Priddy Pools as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) during the 1970s and 1980s was controversial because of conflicts of interest between land owners, recreational cavers and cave scientists. Initially proposals were put forward by the Council of Southern Caving Clubs which is part of the British Caving Association was that
Wookey Hole Caves ""Ogof"" which gave the early names for this cave of ""Ochie"" ""Ochy"". "Hole" is Anglo-Saxon for cave, which is itself of Latin/Norman derivation. Therefore, the name "Wookey Hole Cave" basically means "cave cave cave". Eilert Ekwall gives an alternative derivation of "Wookey" from the Old English ""wocig"" meaning a noose or snare for animals. By the 18th century the caves were commonly known as "Okey Hole". Fossils of a range of animals have been found including the Pleistocene lion ("Felis leo spelæ"), Cave hyena ("Crocuta crocuta spelaea") and Badger ("Meles meles"). Wookey Hole was occupied by humans in the Iron