This is a mine situated in the limestone overlying the coal measures in Bixlade above Cannop Ponds. It's unusual in that the limestone it's in is not the normal crease limestone found in the Forest which underlies the coal measures and is like a sponge in the way the cavities are arranged. This limestone is fairly solid and faults in straight lines so all the iron ore lies in straight lines at 90 degrees to each other underground. The mine was worked just before the first World War. At the present there is only about 100 yards accessible via the upper ventilation entrance. We are working on digging through the collapse which lies under the position of an old shaft marked on the geological survey. If we get though we should double the length of the mine.
Some other people have obviously been into the mine since I was last there and they've left a few arrows pointing to the main passage. Quite why they felt this was necessary is anyone's guess as there are only two passages and they are both straight with a short connecting passage. It's totally impossible to get lost.
Apologies for the quality of the photos. I had no tripod so they're all hand held with a separate flash held in the other hand.
One of the possible shafts leading to the fall
The remains of a building just by the ventilation entrance
The way in
The original main entrance
Hanging death in the ventilation entrance
The main passage
The passage splits just before the collapse. It rejoins just after. Both ways are blocked
The fall
Some other people have obviously been into the mine since I was last there and they've left a few arrows pointing to the main passage. Quite why they felt this was necessary is anyone's guess as there are only two passages and they are both straight with a short connecting passage. It's totally impossible to get lost.
Apologies for the quality of the photos. I had no tripod so they're all hand held with a separate flash held in the other hand.
One of the possible shafts leading to the fall
The remains of a building just by the ventilation entrance
The way in
The original main entrance
Hanging death in the ventilation entrance
The main passage
The passage splits just before the collapse. It rejoins just after. Both ways are blocked
The fall
........it does seem to have got a lot worse over the years too....possibly summat to do with the number of drifts/levels/shafts that have been filled/capped etc in recent times.....guessing here but ...it must have had an effect on the amount of fresh air circulating /entering the old workings?????? not a problem so much with the iron workings I guess......
