# Whittington Stone Mines - May 2011



## crickleymal (May 12, 2011)

Whittington stone mines lie just west of the village of Whittington (yes he did come from there). They were dug to access the oolitic limestone or Freestone as the quarrymen called it. It's called freestone as it has no grain and can be cut in any direction. 

Roughly contemporary with their larger cousins near Bath, I believe these were last worked in the 1850s or 60s. There is no evidence of any saws being used so the stones were picked and pry bars used to break out lumps of stone.

People wishing to visit should ask at the local farm where a key is available. I mention this here because some idiots (not from here obviously) broke in a couple of years ago when all they had to do was to ask.




































Horses hoof prints.










This, believe it or not, is a fossil of a trilobite and is extremely rare in this sort of limestone.





The miners placed a candle on this ledge and you can just see the wax dribble below on the rock.


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## sYnc_below (May 13, 2011)

Great mine and even better Gong reference


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## crickleymal (May 13, 2011)

tocsin_bang said:


> Great mine and even better Gong reference



Thanks. I started listening to Gong just as they split up.


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## Neosea (May 13, 2011)

Cool stuff


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## oldscrote (May 14, 2011)

Nice little mine, thanks.I have been recommended this book about the mines by a friend 

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheltenham-Stone-Whittington-Arthur-Price/dp/1904530087/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1[/ame]


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## Big Bill (May 14, 2011)

looks amazing! Just glad that it hasnt been further 'invaded' by vandals!


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## Mole Man (May 15, 2011)

Great little mine, this is one of a number I have done up that way, most of them not really known about.

Thanks for the post, good to see a few pictures of the place.


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## crickleymal (May 16, 2011)

oldscrote said:


> Nice little mine, thanks.I have been recommended this book about the mines by a friend
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cheltenham-Stone-Whittington-Arthur-Price/dp/1904530087/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1



Yes it's very good but quite a dry read or so I've been told


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