Announcement Date: September 2, 2017
MODERATE UNDERGROUND – A small but enthusiastic group of mine explorers gathered with Chris being our guide for the day. Chris eagerly shared his knowledge of the mine and led us safely through the labyrinthine passages: this is one place that should definitely not be entered without the guidance of someone familiar with the workings.
The mining technique used appears to have been the driving a series of tunnels into the hillside near the base of the mudstone layer, which is some 30 feet thick. It is the waste from these tunnels that produced a chain of spoil heaps along the hillside, joined by a track that has now been taken over by the Forestry Commission as an access route through the modern day woods. These original tunnels must have been of a fair size to accommodate the next stage of mining – which was to work the roof in the manner of an overhand stope.
The miners, who were known as ‘jetties’, used a sharp pointed pick for this purpose, the tell-tale marks of which were still clearly visible in some places.
The full report can be found in the November 2017 newsletter
