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View Full Version : Report - Nenthead Lead mines may 09

Edd
May 5th, 2009, 23:35
Nenthead has been home to lead mining since the mid to late 17th Century but was seriously worked when the London Lead Company set up a lease in 1704. It was then continued to be worked well into the 20th century. After talking to one of the old boys in the local museum it turns out it was only abandoned due to the problems with getting air into the lower levels.

We started our long weekend with a trip into Small cleugh. Quick trip down the adit to Wheel Flats and then the fun 40 meter crawl to the Ball room for lunch :)

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The ball room is a big square area mined out. It was known as the ball room due to being used by the local Masonic society for a ball for the towns folk in 1901

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The mines are worked by following the lead vein. They built dry stone walled tunnels over the tramming levels and then worked the stopes up stackign the deads on top of the tunnels. The ore was tipped down ore shoots onto the tramming level and then taken out

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(btw some one had had a poo in the blue jumper and hung it up lol )

we came to a point where someone has been digging through a collapse and in the exploring way we crawled through. Beyond it we found a taped off are of ground which took us a few minutes to work out but you could make out the hoof prints from the mine ponies and you can still see hob nail boot prints :)

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Next day we went for a wander into Brownley Hills. It was again an exploring trip to find things we had forgotten and places we had been told about so we went for a propper explore.

really nice formations.

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Amazing lead / quartz geodes

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Just to show the side of the geodes. Me and garry chilling out

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some interesting traverses

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and a few collapses

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We then found our way into the Nentsbury Haggs level of the mine which brings you out on the main road ont he way to Nenthall. How ever with out checking the state of the collapse at the road end we turned back


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We then set off through the water to see if we could find the Blue flooded shaft again but instead we ended up heading up an ore shoot which turned out to be hiding somegreat old stuff.

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Almost as tho the miners had left the day before.


We called it quits at that for the day and headed out

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couldnt resist :p
Edd
May 5th, 2009, 23:37
Next day was Rampgill past Brewery Shaft

We made out way to the wonderfully constructed staircase and arches.

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The maker was so proud of his work he has carved his initials and the date in the Wall

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JP 1795

We then started searching for the elusive Horse Whimsey. We had seen pictures and heard tails of it but never found it ..... untill now. A short abseil and a crawl lead us to victory

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as we were knackered we decided to cut the day short and head out photographing some nice ocre falls on the way

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and then a quick walk up the hill to look down Brewery Shaft

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This is 328 feet deep and you can actually crawl out onto the pipes you see part way down, from the rampgill level.

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A quick mooch round the surface saw us off and the pub was calling lol
concreteJungle
May 6th, 2009, 19:11
Looks like a really interesting place, good photos too. Are the topside waterwheels part of the pumping system?
doubleboost
May 6th, 2009, 21:36
Nice pictures some of the best i have seen
The exit from Hags mine is totally blocked with water up to the roof .
A dig is presently under way to clear this , opening the through trip again.
Alley
May 6th, 2009, 22:05
Stunning pics Edd :thumb
parkus.
May 6th, 2009, 22:49
Great photo's mate :thumb

I'm in Weardale most weekends these days researching and recording anything I can find on the mines in the area. But there's always time for a Nenthead trip :D
Edd
May 7th, 2009, 07:42
thanks guys :) yeah we decided to check out the entrance to the haggs level before attempting the through trip and decided it was not doable lol

The Water wheel is just a display to show the types of wheels that were used for various things in the complex.
cat_bones
May 8th, 2009, 11:20
Nice pics mate. This place looks amazing. I've had multiple chances to go here over the last few years but have never taken the opportunity... I think I may try harder to get up there now!
Brick_Man
May 11th, 2009, 11:42
mega.

Above ground nenthead is nice for families & icecreams, underground nenthead is just POW POW POW, mega :D

Great set of pics to boot and all :p
Spag
May 11th, 2009, 15:07
Amazing place, thanks for sharing!! :)
ukv1290
May 12th, 2009, 23:26
Amazing, looks like you had a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing!
rigsby
May 13th, 2009, 16:46
Them mines look ace. Good work i love it.
xm657
May 16th, 2009, 16:14
Thats such a great report. I've not the skills or equipment to go down into the lower levels, but even just walking into the top level drift at Smallcleugh, is awesome and I will be back. Thanks for all these great photos.
docfunk
May 20th, 2009, 15:12
its such an awesome place down there i`ve spent many hours down there,and those "hoof" prints are foot prints from miners wearing wooden clogs!!
If you find the dynamite and its box there will be a pair of clogs beside it,compare the prints and clog soles.
Edd
May 20th, 2009, 16:33
its such an awesome place down there i`ve spent many hours down there,and those "hoof" prints are foot prints from miners wearing wooden clogs!!
If you find the dynamite and its box there will be a pair of clogs beside it,compare the prints and clog soles.

We were looking for that lol where abouts is it?
NickUk
May 20th, 2009, 16:52
Awesome shots there mate.:thumb
What is your headtorch Edd? It's the daddy :)

Nick
Edd
May 20th, 2009, 16:54
its a Q5 surefire unit mounted in an oldham headset with lithium ion battery pack does me well and lasts really well :)
NickUk
May 20th, 2009, 16:54
Sounds awesome :thumb Did you make it?

Nick
Edd
May 20th, 2009, 16:56
yeah was a home made modification. Needs finishing properly and a dipped bulb fitting but will get round to it when i can be arsed lol
NickUk
May 20th, 2009, 16:59
How much did it cost?
Edd
May 20th, 2009, 17:01
erm LED unit was £7 off ebay and batterys were £50 for 2 battery packs and a charger then just used and old oldham head set.
NickUk
May 20th, 2009, 17:07
ooh cool :) Sounds good.
TheSmurfinator
May 20th, 2009, 20:12
there are also hoof prints mixed in with the hobnail boots prints....
chapperzuk
May 21st, 2009, 12:28
Wow! These pictures are awesome, and this places looks incredible. Really good post!
donald
October 6th, 2009, 19:06
how can you get access? map ref's, legal?
Don
Edd
October 6th, 2009, 22:44
access in fully legal but you are requested to pay a tresspass fee of £1 in the shop.

Access is fully open but i would reccommend a guide as the workings are very extensive.
donald
October 7th, 2009, 11:20
Hi, Ed, I teach drystone walling as well as contracting, and am interested in underground dsw structures, your photos are amazing, can I please use them for the Drystone walling Association website, and for a short article I am writing for DSWA about Nenthead?
Best wishes
Donald Gunn
jontz01
October 7th, 2009, 12:38
I'm also a DSWer, I can understand why that name and date was carved into that stone. I'd be proud of it too! Such a huge amount of work to be done to such a high standard, it must've taken years to complete...

Lovely photos and very well documented, thanks again for sharing... :)
Edd
October 7th, 2009, 16:52
Hi, Ed, I teach drystone walling as well as contracting, and am interested in underground dsw structures, your photos are amazing, can I please use them for the Drystone walling Association website, and for a short article I am writing for DSWA about Nenthead?
Best wishes
Donald Gunn

Yeah no worries if you contact me by email i can send you some links to a load more pics :)
cpcnick
October 8th, 2009, 17:28
hi edd nice to see your work again all the best mate good picks too
Edd
October 8th, 2009, 21:08
Thanks were off up there again for the winch meet in a few weeks :)