# Northamptonshire ironstone mines



## reddwarf9 (Apr 23, 2010)

After much research with a friend and a good deal of searching we managed recently to find our way into an iron ore mine that closed before the First World War. It was one of a series of mines in this locality and part of a much wider iron ore mining operation in the county that continued into the mid 60's.

We have only covered a very small part of the apparent 100 acres of mine workings in this mine alone! We intent to return and do the rest at some point.

Well on to the pictures.

The way in was a bit of a scramble







some of the brick supports with railway rails lodged across to hold up the roof





heading off down a tunnel





some of the tools left untouched for nearly a 100 years






more stuff left behind





nice view of the geology





apparently the face was drilled by hand before being stuffed with explosives - the drills





our breath captured in the flash giving a slightly eerie look





more to come as we find it - thanks for looking


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## MD (Apr 23, 2010)

nice work mate 
been a couple of years since ive seen these !


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## tommo (Apr 23, 2010)

yeah a nice little place, i also know some one else that has been in there in the last couple of weeks, it does look a good explore


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## chris (Apr 23, 2010)

Really interesting looking mine


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## diehardlove (Apr 23, 2010)

t_o_m_m_o said:


> yeah a nice little place, i also know some one else that has been in there in the last couple of weeks, it does look a good explore


nice pics mate,
couple of weeks,alot longer than that 
the other one was cracked along time agao


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## RichardB (Apr 24, 2010)

It looks in incredibly good condition for the time it's been empty. Looking forward to seeing more.


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## smileysal (Apr 24, 2010)

Very, very nice place. Love all the equipment and bottles etc that are still left in there. Excellent pics mate, and excellent work. 

 Sal


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## davetdi (Apr 24, 2010)

hi guys

I m new to here, introduced by Redwarf9 as I with him on this visit.

We researched the area for the open adits and found another on the other side of the road to this one - we have heard that the air quality in there is pretty poor so may end up keeping out of there. 

We are also trying to find another adit to the east northeast - already found a ventilation shaft, but not yet the adit. Hopefully a recce with redwarf in the next few days will find this !

...anyways my piccies....


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## reddwarf9 (Apr 24, 2010)

aha u made it m8, well done! good pics of yours, better than mine lol


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## davetdi (Apr 24, 2010)

and the bottles....

Ellimans embrocation - for aches and pains!






Phipps Brewery Northampton






and something clealry from a later generation

its the real thing!


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## reddwarf9 (Apr 24, 2010)

interesting thought that, beer n explosives!!


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## diehardlove (Apr 24, 2010)

nice work lads and the pics are really good,the other mine across the road the one with bricks has some lovely dates on the walls in soot but you are right on the oxygen levals was down to 17 percent last time we went and was getting worst the further on we went also the water leval has gone down so the mud is showing which does not help as well,
if you want to borrow my four gas just say.


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## davetdi (Apr 24, 2010)

hi there

thanks for confirming the oxygen levels in the other mine- may have to give that one a miss!, but thanks everso for the kind offer of the kit!

have you been to the other mine to the east northeast of this one, the one with the vent shaft ?


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## diehardlove (Apr 24, 2010)

davetdi said:


> hi there
> 
> thanks for confirming the oxygen levels in the other mine- may have to give that one a miss!, but thanks everso for the kind offer of the kit!
> 
> have you been to the other mine to the east northeast of this one, the one with the vent shaft ?



there is always the old fashioned candle way just know what the levals do to you and the candle and you will be fine.the one with the low levals is this one they both look the same
[ame]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=15046[/ame]

ive done 4 in that area il dig the photos out there is one that goes in and is walled two ways and has 2 more sealed and 1 more with a collapse but thats just up from the one you have done,The other one that looks like a entrace/vent shaft is part of this mine,
do you mean that ? has metal rods across and has part collapsed.
give me a shout as there is alot less well know mine just up the road that worth seeing and that four gas meter offer is still open if you need it take care dave,
p.s either of you in a caving club or done many mines before.


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## davetdi (Apr 24, 2010)

also near an entrance found this pit - any ideas what its for?


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## Foxylady (Apr 25, 2010)

Really interesting explore. Agree with Sal about all the artefacts remaining. I love that about these old mines.
Nice work, fellas.


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## godzilla73 (Apr 25, 2010)

davetdi said:


> also near an entrance found this pit - any ideas what its for?



That looks like it might be a washdown (for equipment and the like). Do you know if there was a plateway or rutway- for horses to pull wagons - in the mine? Davetdi's 4th picture shows what might have been one.


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## Engineer (Apr 25, 2010)

*Iron Mine.*



davetdi said:


> also near an entrance found this pit - any ideas what its for?



I'll take a guess at a mine water filter bed. It would have been filled with pebbles (or similar with a large surface area), and the water run through it to oxidize any iron in the water.

This is an underground example in South Wales, (the pebbles have run out through the u/s floor grid).


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## davetdi (Apr 25, 2010)

a filter bed, wouldnt had thought of that! why would they have needed one of those?

There was two trough like items with posts next to them, these were a few m from the ramp end of the pit.


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## Engineer (Apr 25, 2010)

*Iron Mine.*

Possibly to avoid oxidation further down the stream bed, like this.






Not sure about the trough but it could be part of a water distribution system, if you return check the bottom for holes/slots etc.


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