(1) The History
Located just under a mile south of the Derbyshire village of Calver, not an enormous amount of history is available on this small lead mine. It was first worked in the 19th Century and is associated with two periods of intense mining activity: namely the early 1850s and the first two decades of the twentieth century. It is shown as ‘disused’ by according to an 1879 Ordnance Survey (OS) map which indicates a relatively small site consisting of a shaft and an adit portal to the east. A straight track ran east from the portal, terminating in a circular feature which has been interpreted as possibly a pond, rather than a dressing circle. To the north were two buildings and another circular feature.
The first written reference to Red Rake is an agreement from 24th December 1803 that identifies a George Graham as the proprietor of Red Rake. A latter document states that Cornish mining engineer, John Taylor, to be the owner between 1839 and 1851. In 1851, the Newburgh adit was constructed by the North Derbyshire United Mining Company as a haulage level (and not a drainage sough as it was frequently taken to be) for Red Rake, Cat (or Catsal) Rake, Dog Rake, and other smaller veins in Northcliffe Wood. The name Newburgh is derived from the ‘Earl of Newburgh’, who was the associated landowner and ‘lord’ of the Liberty of Calver.
An old mineral book identified the mine as producing lead up to and throughout the 1870s, but with output decreasing. By 1880, stone and gravel are recorded as being extracted from the mine in “significant amounts” after lead production ceased circa 1883. A barmaster’s declaration, a year later in December 1884 states Red Rake Mine was closed due to “lack of work”. Latterly, G. G. Blackwell and Sons reopened Red Rake in the first decade of the 20th century, most likely around 1907, to support the expansion of fluorspar production due to its use as a flux in the expanding steel-making industry. It was also reworked for lead and barites. This phase lasted until around July 1919, based on the final wage references for Red Rake.
Three miners inside Red Rake, 1910:
Red Rake was intermittently worked by the Bleaklow Mining Co Ltd up until the late 1980s. By the 1990s, ownership had transferred to Laportes Ltd who cleared and tidied the site up, including the capping of two shafts adjacent to the Newburgh level, and the levelling and landscaping of mining hillocks and spoil heaps. In 1999, Red Rake was sold on by Laportes to Glebe Mines.
The portal was previously preserved by the Peak District Mines Historical Society (PDMHS) and was officially listed in April 1982 as a rare example of a dated adit portal. Built of gritstone, the edge-shaped keystone is clearly inscribed with the initials ‘N.L’ (standing for Newburgh Level) and the date October 27 1851. Aside from the adit, other surface buildings survive, including a 20th century ‘incline’ or ore chute and its walled loading bay at the roadside, the remains of a small 20th century spar plant (including concrete platforms, a small machinery bed, yards and buildings) and, to the south-east, a 20th century powder house with partially collapsed vaulted brick roof.
2. The Explore
Revisit with my regular mine exploring friend J and @Bikin Glynn It’s a cracking and very photogenic little lead mine as previously reported. We went as far as the top of the first pitch where you use an in-situ rope to climb up. The down-slope looked like it needed SRT so didn’t get to the flooded adit with lorry-tyre and rope traverse which was a pity. One for next time.
3. The Pictures
Date stone on adit entrance. NL is for Newburgh Level - date is October 27th, 1851:
The initial arched adit is fantastic:
And the end of the section:
Onwards into the mine:
Some lovely mineralization:
Can just about make out the ceiling prop:
Novel use of kitchen sink!
Trial passage off to the right-hand-side:
More mineralization:
Into the crawl section:
Something to do with the electrics?
Jawa in the house!
Out we pop:
Old shovel head:
It opens out:
And the stoping starts:
Stacked up deads:
Cross beam in the stopes:
This was as far as we got:
And back out again:
Located just under a mile south of the Derbyshire village of Calver, not an enormous amount of history is available on this small lead mine. It was first worked in the 19th Century and is associated with two periods of intense mining activity: namely the early 1850s and the first two decades of the twentieth century. It is shown as ‘disused’ by according to an 1879 Ordnance Survey (OS) map which indicates a relatively small site consisting of a shaft and an adit portal to the east. A straight track ran east from the portal, terminating in a circular feature which has been interpreted as possibly a pond, rather than a dressing circle. To the north were two buildings and another circular feature.
The first written reference to Red Rake is an agreement from 24th December 1803 that identifies a George Graham as the proprietor of Red Rake. A latter document states that Cornish mining engineer, John Taylor, to be the owner between 1839 and 1851. In 1851, the Newburgh adit was constructed by the North Derbyshire United Mining Company as a haulage level (and not a drainage sough as it was frequently taken to be) for Red Rake, Cat (or Catsal) Rake, Dog Rake, and other smaller veins in Northcliffe Wood. The name Newburgh is derived from the ‘Earl of Newburgh’, who was the associated landowner and ‘lord’ of the Liberty of Calver.
An old mineral book identified the mine as producing lead up to and throughout the 1870s, but with output decreasing. By 1880, stone and gravel are recorded as being extracted from the mine in “significant amounts” after lead production ceased circa 1883. A barmaster’s declaration, a year later in December 1884 states Red Rake Mine was closed due to “lack of work”. Latterly, G. G. Blackwell and Sons reopened Red Rake in the first decade of the 20th century, most likely around 1907, to support the expansion of fluorspar production due to its use as a flux in the expanding steel-making industry. It was also reworked for lead and barites. This phase lasted until around July 1919, based on the final wage references for Red Rake.
Three miners inside Red Rake, 1910:
Red Rake was intermittently worked by the Bleaklow Mining Co Ltd up until the late 1980s. By the 1990s, ownership had transferred to Laportes Ltd who cleared and tidied the site up, including the capping of two shafts adjacent to the Newburgh level, and the levelling and landscaping of mining hillocks and spoil heaps. In 1999, Red Rake was sold on by Laportes to Glebe Mines.
The portal was previously preserved by the Peak District Mines Historical Society (PDMHS) and was officially listed in April 1982 as a rare example of a dated adit portal. Built of gritstone, the edge-shaped keystone is clearly inscribed with the initials ‘N.L’ (standing for Newburgh Level) and the date October 27 1851. Aside from the adit, other surface buildings survive, including a 20th century ‘incline’ or ore chute and its walled loading bay at the roadside, the remains of a small 20th century spar plant (including concrete platforms, a small machinery bed, yards and buildings) and, to the south-east, a 20th century powder house with partially collapsed vaulted brick roof.
2. The Explore
Revisit with my regular mine exploring friend J and @Bikin Glynn It’s a cracking and very photogenic little lead mine as previously reported. We went as far as the top of the first pitch where you use an in-situ rope to climb up. The down-slope looked like it needed SRT so didn’t get to the flooded adit with lorry-tyre and rope traverse which was a pity. One for next time.
3. The Pictures
Date stone on adit entrance. NL is for Newburgh Level - date is October 27th, 1851:
The initial arched adit is fantastic:
And the end of the section:
Onwards into the mine:
Some lovely mineralization:
Can just about make out the ceiling prop:
Novel use of kitchen sink!
Trial passage off to the right-hand-side:
More mineralization:
Into the crawl section:
Something to do with the electrics?
Jawa in the house!
Out we pop:
Old shovel head:
It opens out:
And the stoping starts:
Stacked up deads:
Cross beam in the stopes:
This was as far as we got:
And back out again:
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rather than saying it directly in a public forum!
