Bear pit

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Bear baiting in a bear pit during the 18th century (engraving, 1796).

A bear pit was historically used to display bears, typically for entertainment and especially bear baiting. The pit area was normally surrounded by a high fence, above which the specators would look down on the bears.

An example is the bear pit at Sheffield Botanical Gardens in England. This was used to house two bears until the 1870s. It is now grade II listed.

See also

• Bear Inn, Oxford

External links

• [Sheffield Botanical Gardens Bear Pit]

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