real time web analytics
Report - - Oakwood Mill Land Level - FoD - Oct 2010 | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Oakwood Mill Land Level - FoD - Oct 2010

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

S

Sven

Guest
Guest
Visited with KB a non member.

This is one of the complex of iron mines in the Noxon park area of the Forest of Dean. Decided to have a quick look to check on the water table and found it to be well down from normal levels. Most of these pictures were taken on the 375 ft level which spends most of the year submerged, a bit odd walking up levels next to divers lines!

A bit of history.

Topography and Geology
In the Bream area the Oakwood valley runs northwest towards its origin at Sling and Clements End.
The outcrop of the crease limestone runs nearly parallel to it on the southwesterly side, eventually crossing
the valley and continuing up towards Clays Farm.
The dip is about 30 degrees northeast. Iron ore was worked in several places along the crop, mostly from
churns aligned along the S W / N E joints and inclined with the dip.
In ancient times water levels would have prevented deep working - probably not any lower than 400 ft OD.
At some time - certainly prior to 1835 - an adit was driven from the Oakwood valley to the crease
limestone which it hit at an altitude of 375 ft OD. A level, known as the 375 ft level was then driven for
about 1000 ft southeast and 3300 ft northwest. This allowed drainage for everything above 375 ft OD and
easy exit for ore. Workings were carried to the deep of the level as far as water levels would allow.
Lower down the Oakwood valley, a similar scheme at a lower altitude was carried out with the Oakwood
Mill Deep level.
In the adjoining China Engine Gale, the China Engine Pit was sunk to the crease, which it hit at about 235
ft OD. Again, levels were driven along the crease for about 1700 ft to the northwest and 2900 ft to the
southeast. Eight large ore bodies were worked up dip to connect with the workings of Oakwood Mill Land
Level. The China Engine level was known as the 235 ft level. By pumping water at China Engine Pit, the
crease limestone from Noxon Park at 500 ft OD to below the 235 ft level would have been un-watered, and,
when the mines were working, it would have been possible to reach the 235 ft level from old crop workings
in Noxon Park.
One further shaft was sunk in an attempt to get still further beneath the 235 ft level. This was the Princess
Louise Shaft which failed to reach the crease limestone at 600 ft depth. Whether this was due to not going
deep enough or to the Oakwood Bottom fault affecting the expected depth of the crease, I do not know.

sectionofvalleyMedium.jpg


On the 375 ft level.

1.jpg


2.jpg





Collapse with some old timbers.

3.jpg





Squeeze through a fall

4.jpg





KB looking off “the Jettyâ€￾.

6.jpg





In the bottom of the picture is the water with a submerged timber.

7.jpg





Bridge made from old rails.


8.jpg


9.jpg





Pick marks.

12.jpg


11.jpg





Some interesting flakes!

13.jpg


14.jpg


15.jpg



Thanks for looking.
Sorry about the picture quality.
If anyone wants a look around these mines let me know.
 

trickster86

28DL Member
28DL Member
Visited with KB a non member.

This is one of the complex of iron mines in the Noxon park area of the Forest of Dean. Decided to have a quick look to check on the water table and found it to be well down from normal levels. Most of these pictures were taken on the 375 ft level which spends most of the year submerged, a bit odd walking up levels next to divers lines!

A bit of history.

Topography and Geology
In the Bream area the Oakwood valley runs northwest towards its origin at Sling and Clements End.
The outcrop of the crease limestone runs nearly parallel to it on the southwesterly side, eventually crossing
the valley and continuing up towards Clays Farm.
The dip is about 30 degrees northeast. Iron ore was worked in several places along the crop, mostly from
churns aligned along the S W / N E joints and inclined with the dip.
In ancient times water levels would have prevented deep working - probably not any lower than 400 ft OD.
At some time - certainly prior to 1835 - an adit was driven from the Oakwood valley to the crease
limestone which it hit at an altitude of 375 ft OD. A level, known as the 375 ft level was then driven for
about 1000 ft southeast and 3300 ft northwest. This allowed drainage for everything above 375 ft OD and
easy exit for ore. Workings were carried to the deep of the level as far as water levels would allow.
Lower down the Oakwood valley, a similar scheme at a lower altitude was carried out with the Oakwood
Mill Deep level.
In the adjoining China Engine Gale, the China Engine Pit was sunk to the crease, which it hit at about 235
ft OD. Again, levels were driven along the crease for about 1700 ft to the northwest and 2900 ft to the
southeast. Eight large ore bodies were worked up dip to connect with the workings of Oakwood Mill Land
Level. The China Engine level was known as the 235 ft level. By pumping water at China Engine Pit, the
crease limestone from Noxon Park at 500 ft OD to below the 235 ft level would have been un-watered, and,
when the mines were working, it would have been possible to reach the 235 ft level from old crop workings
in Noxon Park.
One further shaft was sunk in an attempt to get still further beneath the 235 ft level. This was the Princess
Louise Shaft which failed to reach the crease limestone at 600 ft depth. Whether this was due to not going
deep enough or to the Oakwood Bottom fault affecting the expected depth of the crease, I do not know.

sectionofvalleyMedium.jpg


On the 375 ft level.

1.jpg


2.jpg





Collapse with some old timbers.

3.jpg





Squeeze through a fall

4.jpg







6.jpg





In the bottom of the picture is the water with a submerged timber.

7.jpg





Bridge made from old rails.


8.jpg


9.jpg





Pick marks.

12.jpg


11.jpg





Some interesting flakes!

13.jpg


14.jpg


15.jpg



Thanks for looking.
Sorry about the picture quality.
If anyone wants a look around these mines let me know.
 

Bkj

28DL Member
28DL Member
Visited with KB a non member.

This is one of the complex of iron mines in the Noxon park area of the Forest of Dean. Decided to have a quick look to check on the water table and found it to be well down from normal levels. Most of these pictures were taken on the 375 ft level which spends most of the year submerged, a bit odd walking up levels next to divers lines!

A bit of history.

Topography and Geology
In the Bream area the Oakwood valley runs northwest towards its origin at Sling and Clements End.
The outcrop of the crease limestone runs nearly parallel to it on the southwesterly side, eventually crossing
the valley and continuing up towards Clays Farm.
The dip is about 30 degrees northeast. Iron ore was worked in several places along the crop, mostly from
churns aligned along the S W / N E joints and inclined with the dip.
In ancient times water levels would have prevented deep working - probably not any lower than 400 ft OD.
At some time - certainly prior to 1835 - an adit was driven from the Oakwood valley to the crease
limestone which it hit at an altitude of 375 ft OD. A level, known as the 375 ft level was then driven for
about 1000 ft southeast and 3300 ft northwest. This allowed drainage for everything above 375 ft OD and
easy exit for ore. Workings were carried to the deep of the level as far as water levels would allow.
Lower down the Oakwood valley, a similar scheme at a lower altitude was carried out with the Oakwood
Mill Deep level.
In the adjoining China Engine Gale, the China Engine Pit was sunk to the crease, which it hit at about 235
ft OD. Again, levels were driven along the crease for about 1700 ft to the northwest and 2900 ft to the
southeast. Eight large ore bodies were worked up dip to connect with the workings of Oakwood Mill Land
Level. The China Engine level was known as the 235 ft level. By pumping water at China Engine Pit, the
crease limestone from Noxon Park at 500 ft OD to below the 235 ft level would have been un-watered, and,
when the mines were working, it would have been possible to reach the 235 ft level from old crop workings
in Noxon Park.
One further shaft was sunk in an attempt to get still further beneath the 235 ft level. This was the Princess
Louise Shaft which failed to reach the crease limestone at 600 ft depth. Whether this was due to not going
deep enough or to the Oakwood Bottom fault affecting the expected depth of the crease, I do not know.

sectionofvalleyMedium.jpg


On the 375 ft level.

1.jpg


2.jpg





Collapse with some old timbers.

3.jpg





Squeeze through a fall

4.jpg





KB looking off “the Jettyâ€￾.

6.jpg





In the bottom of the picture is the water with a submerged timber.

7.jpg





Bridge made from old rails.

8.jpg


9.jpg





Pick marks.

12.jpg


11.jpg





Some interesting flakes!

13.jpg


14.jpg


15.jpg



Thanks for looking.
Sorry about the picture quality.
If anyone wants a look around these mines let me know.
Hi I’m intrested in the mines near Clements End coleford could I contact you many thanks benji
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Nicely done, I like to watch dives and I can see some right tight squeezes there. It must of felt so weird being there with no water. Great job. Id love to see this place . :cool:
 

Lord Oort

Fear is the little death
Regular User
Its one of my local mines. Im a trip leader for it. You just missed it sadly. Sep - Nov usually but we've had heavy rains and the levels filled up again sooner than expected.
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Its one of my local mines. Im a trip leader for it. You just missed it sadly. Sep - Nov usually but we've had heavy rains and the levels filled up again sooner than expected.

Thats ok, I wasn't thinking this year, never done a mine , do you have to be super able bodied for it ? I`d love to see what I could of it. I do road trips as my hubby drives me, but im the explorer. So if I came to Gloucester next season could you guide me? as a newbie on mines? Big ask I know.
 

Lord Oort

Fear is the little death
Regular User
It kinda depends on the mine and how bendy you are. Stone mines are generally the easiest, essentially posh orienteering.

This particular iron mine has quite a lot of very steep slopes and the occasional climb over a fall, but it has quite large passage with a couple of walk in entrances.

Yeah no worries, gimme a shout when you have some dates. If you let me know roughly what you can and cant do I can tailor a bimble that will suit.
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
It kinda depends on the mine and how bendy you are. Stone mines are generally the easiest, essentially posh orienteering.

This particular iron mine has quite a lot of very steep slopes and the occasional climb over a fall, but it has quite large passage with a couple of walk in entrances.

Yeah no worries, gimme a shout when you have some dates. If you let me know roughly what you can and cant do I can tailor a bimble that will suit.
Thanks will do, I will pm you nearer the time. I can do most things, but do have some limits. But I have trust in you to be able to tailor something for me, cheers Oort :)
 
Top