# Holme Bank chert mine (permission visit) - April 2017



## Newage (May 2, 2017)

Hi All

As part of the Derby weekend me and Fluffy arranged a visit to Holme bank chert mine in Bakewell.

Holme Bank was the last of two operational chert mines in Derbyshire the other being the Pretoria Mine, both at Bakewell. Access was from adits in a quarry at Bank Top and the steep workings extended beneath the road to connect with the earlier Greenfield shaft. The chert bed lies on a 1 in 3.7 gradient and the mine was subject to flooding in severe winters. Illumination was by mains electricity in addition to carbide lamps carried by the miners.

Chert is a form of fine-grained, flinty silica most commonly found in veins in the uppermost beds of a limestone sequence. Chert was worked into tools in prehistoric times, easily shaped by chipping off flakes to produce sharp edges.

The most useful role for chert was recognised about two centuries ago for the grinding of calcined flint, used as a whitening agent in earthenware manufacture. In 1772 the potter Josiah Wedgwood recommended Derbyshire chert as a major improvement over granite millstones, which left annoying black specks in the pure white flint. 

Well that`s the potted history, on with a few pictures.

This place looks like a proper death trap.

















There are a few bits and bobs still in the mine, this is the only winch left.











The area to the east of the mine is flooded and is used by mine divers, now the thought of diving in and underground mine is somewhat mental AFAIK, but fair play.

It`s deep - effing deep...........






Thanks for looking, all comments are most welcome.
If you want to see more pictures and you know you do, head on over to my FlickR site at:-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/albums/72157683278404865/with/33570761723/

Cheers Newage


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## smiler (May 2, 2017)

Nice one Newage. Elfinsaftey at its best, Thanks


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## krela (May 2, 2017)

Love a good mine, thanks Newage.


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