Devonshire Cavern, Matlock Bath, for sale

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historytrog
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

11 years ago

While walking up Masson yesterday to have another look over some lost mines there, I noticed that Devonshire Cavern has been put up for sale at offers around £350,000. It comes complete with 3 acres of woodland and a four-bedroomed detached house. I think it is only the second time in about sixty years that this property has come on the market.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30083514.html
The blurb states that:

Quote:

An interesting point of note is that there is a Cavern situated within the garden known as Devonshire Cavern (originally Coalpit Rake). The workings at Coalpit Rake are highly distinctive in character and Devonshire Cavern can be shown to be an ancient mine of particular importance, both for its intrinsic interest and the ease with which it can be explored and thus shown to people in order to promote interest in mining history and archeology.

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AR
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

11 years ago

This is something myself and the DCA access officer will be keeping an eye on - fingers crossed that the eventual buyer is amenable to the current access agreement carrying on, especially after all the work I did on the door last year!

Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!

davemowle
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

The house has been bought by a young couple who have returned to the village to bring up their young family.
They are aware how popular the mine is and intend to keep the open access arrangements as before.
They have asked that we keep the main entrance as secure as we can so that it is only accessed by experienced cavers and cannot be accessed by the unknowing public.
Their only concern is that there are a number of other shafts /entrances on their land that could pose a danger to their own family. They are happy to let us explore them but then want to fix mesh grates asap.
I am intending to have a look with a few of the usual Bath cavers, will update when we have more info.

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Excellent news :thumbup:

AR
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

There are two shafts I know of higher up in the woods, one already capped, one open with partly collapsed ginging.

Doing a thorough investigation is a worthy venture, but speaking from my own experience it's best done in winter when the vegetation's low so you a) don't miss shafts, particularly ones with slumped beehives or b) find them by falling into them. Also, might be worth giving the new owners a copy of Mining History 17:3 with its full survey and description of the underground workings?

Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!

ttxela
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

What a marvellous place to grow up! 🙂