mistericeman
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- Jan 27, 2012
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Today after A hearty breakfast from "The moody bakers" in Alston (Top scran with a heavy veggie bent ...Spicy lentil pasties and CBW (Chilli bean wraps) were the order of the day ) The Mrs and I headed orfe underground in the Minez of Nenthead after a walk with the Houndz ....
Doubly epic for me as after taking my old man in there earlier in the week (he spent the week up at Mains farm with us ) We headed back after i had to buy another tripod in Penrith as i'd forgotten mine Grrrrr !!!!
A potted history courtesy of "T'interweb"
Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead, Cumbria, OS Ref: NY788430.
Smallcleugh Mine started in around 1770, looking for the continuation of Hanginshaw's West of Nent Vein, but this was soon abandoned. In 1787 the work was restarted by an agent for the London Lead Company along the Smallcleugh Cross Vein which produced an immense quantity of ore. There where also many other rich veins worked from Smallcleugh - Middlecleugh (and 1st and 2nd Sun Veins), Longcleugh, and Great Cross. The mine over the years was also worked by the Nenthead and Tynedale Lead and Zinc Company and Vieille Montagne Zinc Company. Most of the operations in Smallcleugh had come to an end around the 1900's. In 1963 the mine was briefly reopened in pursuit of new ore reserves, but little large scale mining took place. A famous occurrence at the mine was the dinner party held down it. On September 2nd 1901, 28 members of the local Masonic branch held a dinner down the mine in a large stope know today as the Ballroom Flat.
It is often assumed that Smallcleugh Mine extends all the way to Bogg Shaft and beyond, as these are reached via the Smallcleugh portal, however Smallcleugh originally only went as far as the Longcleugh Vein past the Ballroom, and the beginnings of the Middlecleugh Vein and Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein. The area past this which covers Carr's Cross Vein, Cow Hill Cross Vein, Barron's Sump Chamber and beyond are is in fact a separate mine called Longcleugh Mine, which was originally worked by shafts.
Nice chat with a old bloke who's Dad had worked in Smallcleugh years ago ...on the way back down and was telling us of hopes of development in the strata deeper down which could kickstart mining again in the area ...which would be very gratefully received by the locals :thumbs: :thumbs:
Doubly epic for me as after taking my old man in there earlier in the week (he spent the week up at Mains farm with us ) We headed back after i had to buy another tripod in Penrith as i'd forgotten mine Grrrrr !!!!
A potted history courtesy of "T'interweb"
Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead, Cumbria, OS Ref: NY788430.
Smallcleugh Mine started in around 1770, looking for the continuation of Hanginshaw's West of Nent Vein, but this was soon abandoned. In 1787 the work was restarted by an agent for the London Lead Company along the Smallcleugh Cross Vein which produced an immense quantity of ore. There where also many other rich veins worked from Smallcleugh - Middlecleugh (and 1st and 2nd Sun Veins), Longcleugh, and Great Cross. The mine over the years was also worked by the Nenthead and Tynedale Lead and Zinc Company and Vieille Montagne Zinc Company. Most of the operations in Smallcleugh had come to an end around the 1900's. In 1963 the mine was briefly reopened in pursuit of new ore reserves, but little large scale mining took place. A famous occurrence at the mine was the dinner party held down it. On September 2nd 1901, 28 members of the local Masonic branch held a dinner down the mine in a large stope know today as the Ballroom Flat.
It is often assumed that Smallcleugh Mine extends all the way to Bogg Shaft and beyond, as these are reached via the Smallcleugh portal, however Smallcleugh originally only went as far as the Longcleugh Vein past the Ballroom, and the beginnings of the Middlecleugh Vein and Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein. The area past this which covers Carr's Cross Vein, Cow Hill Cross Vein, Barron's Sump Chamber and beyond are is in fact a separate mine called Longcleugh Mine, which was originally worked by shafts.
Nice chat with a old bloke who's Dad had worked in Smallcleugh years ago ...on the way back down and was telling us of hopes of development in the strata deeper down which could kickstart mining again in the area ...which would be very gratefully received by the locals :thumbs: :thumbs:
