1. The History
During the end of the 1800s and start of the 1900s, Wharncliffe was the site of a number of small mines located in the hilly woodlands on the outcrops on the western-facing slopes of the River Don. Located north of Sheffield, the purpose of these mines was to mine ganister, a close-grained, quartzose sandstone found in the coal measures of northern England. Consisting of over 90% silica with traces of alumina and lime, it was used in the manufacture of silica bricks, which were typically used to line furnaces in the iron and steel making process as they could withstand significant heat.
As the related industries declined, so did the need for ganister and the mines across the city also closed down. Mine entrances were bricked up and forgotten about. However, as land slips over time, these things tend to become visible in places. Now the remnants of this now forgotten industry have all but disappeared not. However, if you look carefully in these woodlands small reminders of this once key industry emerge. The tunnel pictured below was most likely constructed as drainage for mine workings. It was to culvert an unnamed stream through the mine workings while in turn acting as drainage for the nearby workings.
2. The Explore
Again, following in the footsteps of @tarkovsky I set out to try and find more remnants of the mining activity that so extensively took place here. It was a bit of a walk and hard to find but in the end found this lovely little culvert tunnel. The collapsed section just north of the mountain bike tracks that criss-cross is neck of the woods helped me locate it. I headed slightly south and then, down a bank, found the entrance proper. It’s narrow and a bit of a stoop but well worth the effort. Armed with a map one of my orienteer friends had put together (cheers Oli) I had three mine entrances to check out. I found only one (the one also found by @tarkovsky) and that was bricked up. Aside from that there were little traces on what a hive of mining this place used to be, bar the overgrown earthworks here and there. So, a lovely walk in the woods but no long-lost ganister mine this time.
3. The Pictures
The first sign you are in the right place:
Looking down stream:
Looking up-stream of the collapse. the tunnel has completely caved in:
The southerly end of the culvert:
Inside looking out:
Halfway up the tunnel. The stonework is really superb:
Here’s the mine entrance nearby:
All bricked up sadly:
And a few shots of the small ganister mine due south of here, covered in a previous review HERE:
During the end of the 1800s and start of the 1900s, Wharncliffe was the site of a number of small mines located in the hilly woodlands on the outcrops on the western-facing slopes of the River Don. Located north of Sheffield, the purpose of these mines was to mine ganister, a close-grained, quartzose sandstone found in the coal measures of northern England. Consisting of over 90% silica with traces of alumina and lime, it was used in the manufacture of silica bricks, which were typically used to line furnaces in the iron and steel making process as they could withstand significant heat.
As the related industries declined, so did the need for ganister and the mines across the city also closed down. Mine entrances were bricked up and forgotten about. However, as land slips over time, these things tend to become visible in places. Now the remnants of this now forgotten industry have all but disappeared not. However, if you look carefully in these woodlands small reminders of this once key industry emerge. The tunnel pictured below was most likely constructed as drainage for mine workings. It was to culvert an unnamed stream through the mine workings while in turn acting as drainage for the nearby workings.
2. The Explore
Again, following in the footsteps of @tarkovsky I set out to try and find more remnants of the mining activity that so extensively took place here. It was a bit of a walk and hard to find but in the end found this lovely little culvert tunnel. The collapsed section just north of the mountain bike tracks that criss-cross is neck of the woods helped me locate it. I headed slightly south and then, down a bank, found the entrance proper. It’s narrow and a bit of a stoop but well worth the effort. Armed with a map one of my orienteer friends had put together (cheers Oli) I had three mine entrances to check out. I found only one (the one also found by @tarkovsky) and that was bricked up. Aside from that there were little traces on what a hive of mining this place used to be, bar the overgrown earthworks here and there. So, a lovely walk in the woods but no long-lost ganister mine this time.
3. The Pictures
The first sign you are in the right place:
Looking down stream:
Looking up-stream of the collapse. the tunnel has completely caved in:
The southerly end of the culvert:
Inside looking out:
Halfway up the tunnel. The stonework is really superb:
Here’s the mine entrance nearby:
All bricked up sadly:
And a few shots of the small ganister mine due south of here, covered in a previous review HERE:
Last edited:
