Palaeolithic

"As such, it reflects every part of human history, from the Palaeolithic to more modern times, across the whole of England and Wales," he said.

Similar distinct resonances in the natural environment have been measured, for example, in the Palaeolithic caves of France and Spain, occurring especially near paintings on cave walls.

Plant residues found on grinding or pounding tools from the European later Palaeolithic period suggest early modern humans crushed and roasted wild grass seeds.

There are Palaeolithic pathways up to 12,000 years old, and Bronze Age burial sites as well as the remains of more modern settlements and industrial activities.

The Palaeolithic artwork, it says, must have been made by Neanderthals, a "sister" species to Homo sapiens, as they were Europe's sole human inhabitants at the time.