# Ladywash mine, Eyam, Derbyshire, April 2015



## HughieD (Apr 12, 2015)

Originally the main object of this trip was Ladywash Mine near Eyam, Derbyshire. Given that Ladywash mine turned out to be completely sealed and was externals only, it didn’t merit a report on its own. However, fortunately, the farmhouse we took in on the way proved to be much more photogenic.

In terms of the farm house no history available. The mine has a bit more info about it. A fairly austere building externally, it used to be fairly open access but now the mine is sealed tight. The mine is situated above the plague village of Eyam. It was a ‘mixed ore’ mine which tapped into the Hucklow edge veins. It was opened around 1936 by Glebe Mines Ltd to produce fluorspar for the steel industry (used as flux). It was then taken over by Laporte Industries Ltd in 1959 and operated until it was placed on care and maintenance in March 1979. In March 1986 the headgear was removed and the shaft capped and fenced off. Today the main buildings are still intact and the shaft, although sealed with a metal grid and fenced off, is still in-situ. Here are the pictures.

*Farmhouse near Eyam:*

View from the road:


img8568 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nice stone lintel on the door frame:


img8566 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And a no-nonsense main fire place:


img8564 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And a cute smaller fireplace:


img8562 by HughieDW, on Flickr

In its day it would have been a nice little farm house:


img8560 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nature has definitely taken back the out-house:


img8559 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the garden needs a bit of work:


img8556 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Plenty of walls but not much in the roof department:


img8555 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8550 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nothing inside apart from this broken mirror:


img8553 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Shame, because this little place would have had some stunning views:


img8551 by HughieDW, on Flickr

*Ladywash mine:*

Rather an austere building:


img8573 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and pretty minimalist in the architecture department:


img8575 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8579 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Few external features bar outside lights:


img8576 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8581 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And some random brackets and chains:


img8580 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And no way inside:


img8578 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The only other thing of real interest? The pit of doom…


img8577 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The secrets of Ladywash mine will have to wait for another day…


img8582 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking


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## DirtyJigsaw (Apr 12, 2015)

Nice to see something different from the norm tbh


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## flyboys90 (Apr 12, 2015)

Substantial stone building,the fireplaces are beauties but bet it was wild up there in the winter.Great photos.


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## HughieD (Apr 12, 2015)

Cheers guys. Yup....they would have needed those fires burning in Winter as it is quite exposed up there. 

There's quite a few old farm houses like these around there. Will have to take in some more.


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