Bon Doghole Lead Mine
‘This mine was worked by the London Lead Company from at least 1765 to 1774 until the company found their Derbyshire operations too costly due to the plummeting price of lead and sold their Peak District concessions in 1778. No mining activity took place after this date and the mine was abandoned at this point.’
This is just one of many long-abandoned lead mines in the area between Hopton and Middleton, a few miles south west of Matlock. This area in general was well established for lead mining by around 1750 and continued to yield ore in good quantity until the 1880s, when the decrease in the price of lead brought nearly all workings in the area to a standstill. The name of this mine comes from the name given to the lead vein being worked; ‘doghole’ and ‘bon’ being the surname of a local family. It’s also sometimes (probably incorrectly) referred to as ‘Bondog Hole Mine’.
I’ve been in a fair number of Derbyshire lead mines but this is probably the best I’ve seen as everything is still effectively left as it was at its time of abandonment nearly 250 years ago – narrow gauge tracks still in place throughout, remains of small tubs to move ore around and perfectly preserved iron pins holding back walls of deads after a quarter of a millennium.
The topside remains are basically some large piles of stones and a couple of capped shafts, which are part of a scheduled monument - more info available here
Underground now with narrow gauge tracks, ancient tubs and remains of leather shoes
Iron pins
That was about it. We also had a look in a couple more lead mine remains in the same area but there wasn't really a great deal to see. Looking at surveys of the lead veins, it all gets a bit muddled, so it gets increasingly hard to tell which is which.
‘This mine was worked by the London Lead Company from at least 1765 to 1774 until the company found their Derbyshire operations too costly due to the plummeting price of lead and sold their Peak District concessions in 1778. No mining activity took place after this date and the mine was abandoned at this point.’
This is just one of many long-abandoned lead mines in the area between Hopton and Middleton, a few miles south west of Matlock. This area in general was well established for lead mining by around 1750 and continued to yield ore in good quantity until the 1880s, when the decrease in the price of lead brought nearly all workings in the area to a standstill. The name of this mine comes from the name given to the lead vein being worked; ‘doghole’ and ‘bon’ being the surname of a local family. It’s also sometimes (probably incorrectly) referred to as ‘Bondog Hole Mine’.
I’ve been in a fair number of Derbyshire lead mines but this is probably the best I’ve seen as everything is still effectively left as it was at its time of abandonment nearly 250 years ago – narrow gauge tracks still in place throughout, remains of small tubs to move ore around and perfectly preserved iron pins holding back walls of deads after a quarter of a millennium.
The topside remains are basically some large piles of stones and a couple of capped shafts, which are part of a scheduled monument - more info available here
Underground now with narrow gauge tracks, ancient tubs and remains of leather shoes
Iron pins
That was about it. We also had a look in a couple more lead mine remains in the same area but there wasn't really a great deal to see. Looking at surveys of the lead veins, it all gets a bit muddled, so it gets increasingly hard to tell which is which.
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