1. Background:
The Derbyshire village of Stoney Middleton located in the White Peak can be traced back to Roman times. It’s famous for its proximity to the plague village of Eyam and its location just due west of Middleton Dale meant it has also become a major centre for Peak District rock climbers. The valley of carboniferous limestone (calcium carbonate) has meant that Middleton Dale has been quarried for hundreds of years to produce lime and to provide stone for the construction industry. Stoney Middleton stone can be found in numerous important buildings including the nearby Chatsworth House, Windsor Castle, Houses of Parliament, and the Bank of England. There is also an extensive system of caves that are connected to old lead mine shafts.
2. The Pictures
Having had a look round the old quarries that stand side-by-side near Stoney Middleton along the dale, it was time to look at a couple of mines and some old lime kilns on this revisit.
(I) Fingal’s Cave
Fingal’s Cave is an entrance to Middleton Dale Mine. A large cave complex, this takes you into Level 5 of 12, and it is a mine on a vein called Nut Scrin. It begins as a very tall passage, the walls of which are coated with a film of minerals including blue fluorspar. After scrambling up a steep slope it reduces to the usual small mine level. At the end it intersects a natural passage, blocked in both directions. The passage lies at the same level as Ivy Green cave.
The approach:
i
Looking along the narrow cut channel
A lower-level entrance to the mine:
(II) Carlswark Cavern, Gin Entrance
Here a track leads up from the road opens onto a broad ledge, known as The Gin. An entrance by the side of the track leads shortly to the bottom of an open slot at the base of the cliff. It’s a tight squeeze but you are soon into a natural cavern off which and a passage continues into mine workings. Digging gained access to a natural chamber at the end of a branch working.
Think this might be fluorspar:
An old bucket and container:
Looking back towards the entry point:
Had a quick look at Merlin Mine but didn’t find any substantial entrances so gave it a miss:
In addition to the caves and mines there are a number of lime kilns. This one was right by the road and had an original hopper still insitu:
The partially filled kiln:
Another on the same side of the road a bit further down towards Stoney:
And finally an old blocked-off adit:
The Derbyshire village of Stoney Middleton located in the White Peak can be traced back to Roman times. It’s famous for its proximity to the plague village of Eyam and its location just due west of Middleton Dale meant it has also become a major centre for Peak District rock climbers. The valley of carboniferous limestone (calcium carbonate) has meant that Middleton Dale has been quarried for hundreds of years to produce lime and to provide stone for the construction industry. Stoney Middleton stone can be found in numerous important buildings including the nearby Chatsworth House, Windsor Castle, Houses of Parliament, and the Bank of England. There is also an extensive system of caves that are connected to old lead mine shafts.
2. The Pictures
Having had a look round the old quarries that stand side-by-side near Stoney Middleton along the dale, it was time to look at a couple of mines and some old lime kilns on this revisit.
(I) Fingal’s Cave
Fingal’s Cave is an entrance to Middleton Dale Mine. A large cave complex, this takes you into Level 5 of 12, and it is a mine on a vein called Nut Scrin. It begins as a very tall passage, the walls of which are coated with a film of minerals including blue fluorspar. After scrambling up a steep slope it reduces to the usual small mine level. At the end it intersects a natural passage, blocked in both directions. The passage lies at the same level as Ivy Green cave.
The approach:
Looking along the narrow cut channel
A lower-level entrance to the mine:
(II) Carlswark Cavern, Gin Entrance
Here a track leads up from the road opens onto a broad ledge, known as The Gin. An entrance by the side of the track leads shortly to the bottom of an open slot at the base of the cliff. It’s a tight squeeze but you are soon into a natural cavern off which and a passage continues into mine workings. Digging gained access to a natural chamber at the end of a branch working.
Think this might be fluorspar:
An old bucket and container:
Looking back towards the entry point:
Had a quick look at Merlin Mine but didn’t find any substantial entrances so gave it a miss:
In addition to the caves and mines there are a number of lime kilns. This one was right by the road and had an original hopper still insitu:
The partially filled kiln:
Another on the same side of the road a bit further down towards Stoney:
And finally an old blocked-off adit:
