Today I did a solo visit to Mandale mine in Lathkill Dale. There is three tunnel that I entered, the aqueduct level, the main entrance and the sough. The BBC was predicting thunderstorms and the met office wasn't so I decided to head up on my motorbike into the peak district. The aqueduct level is a small crawly affair which I follow for a hundred metres or so before hitting a collapse where I gave up. The upper level was much more interesting. After going through the gate it was obvious that this level was much newer. The tunnels were much larger and there was evidence of blasting which the lower level does not have.
There is some lovely stacks of deads lining the tunnel walls further in which reminds me of the brick work around some of the Nenthead mines. The sough has some very nice brickwork as well which makes me wonder if they join up further along but I did not go far enough down to have a look. The sough also has a vertical shaft made of loosely stacked rock which is impressive, I'm unsure if this goes far enough to be under the pump house as it is capped.
History:
First reported work at Mandale was as far back as 1284 but documentation is scarce until the 18th/19th century. In 1798 the sough was dug to try and help with drainage of the workings but work ceased around 1836. The aqueduct entrance is only a couple hundred feet above river level so the river was canalised in the 1830s buy putting walls along the bank. In 1839 a new company was formed, the Mandale mining company. This company decided to build a waterwheel to power the pumps for the levels below the sough, they built an aqueduct over the river and a wooden trough to the wheel.
As the workings developed the waterwheel became inadequate for the job and a cornish beam engine was purchased in 1847. This did not last however and the company closed down in 1851 with the equipment being offered for sale in 1852. Small scale mining continued by private individuals until 1867.
Now for the photos. Apologies but I have scratched my lens so there is marks on the photos.
Starting in the Aqueduct level.
Remains of the Aqueduct
Mine entrance
Gate
Now onto the higher level, 1000x easier to take photos up here.
A grill over the watery pit of death.
Now for my favourite part.
Remains of the engine house.
And a couple from the sough.
Maybe next time I will venture a bit further in.
There is some lovely stacks of deads lining the tunnel walls further in which reminds me of the brick work around some of the Nenthead mines. The sough has some very nice brickwork as well which makes me wonder if they join up further along but I did not go far enough down to have a look. The sough also has a vertical shaft made of loosely stacked rock which is impressive, I'm unsure if this goes far enough to be under the pump house as it is capped.
History:
First reported work at Mandale was as far back as 1284 but documentation is scarce until the 18th/19th century. In 1798 the sough was dug to try and help with drainage of the workings but work ceased around 1836. The aqueduct entrance is only a couple hundred feet above river level so the river was canalised in the 1830s buy putting walls along the bank. In 1839 a new company was formed, the Mandale mining company. This company decided to build a waterwheel to power the pumps for the levels below the sough, they built an aqueduct over the river and a wooden trough to the wheel.
As the workings developed the waterwheel became inadequate for the job and a cornish beam engine was purchased in 1847. This did not last however and the company closed down in 1851 with the equipment being offered for sale in 1852. Small scale mining continued by private individuals until 1867.
Now for the photos. Apologies but I have scratched my lens so there is marks on the photos.
Starting in the Aqueduct level.
Remains of the Aqueduct
Mine entrance
Gate
Now onto the higher level, 1000x easier to take photos up here.
A grill over the watery pit of death.
Now for my favourite part.
Remains of the engine house.
And a couple from the sough.
Maybe next time I will venture a bit further in.
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I went a year or so ago but couldn't get in so it's nice to see some pics of the inside. 
always happy to go underground with like minded explorers 
