this is treading on slightly contentious ground, I dare say, but I do feel that graffiti should be either authentic, for want of a better word, or aesthetic. I wouldn't be too heartbroken about the loss of the usual 'toilet-door' stuff.


the Devon pump cylinder is actually quite pleasing, I think.. poetry?


I would have considerable reservations about a graffito of the Levant sort, left by amateur explorers outside the industry. You might even feel it was none of their business, that they had no understanding of the matter, and i wouldn't disagree too strongly


I would certainly share the feelings posted elsewhere, that the 'romance' of jackleg drilling and shrinkage stoping only goes so far. You can say the same about the oil drilling side. I shut my hand in the elevators years ago, and it still hurts; I know what it is to go up on the monkey board and pull a solid 12-hour shift tripping in and out, fishing or running tools, and to tell the truth, I don't feel any the worse for not having to do it any more.

If the Levant graffito was really left by miners working the mine, it is real history. If it was left by explorers years later, I'm sorry but to me it's on a par with those American Civil War re-enactors who 'rededicate' monuments and what-not. WW2 re-enactors running around at Normandy, I don't even want to discuss that....

I have a mate who is part of the Sealed Knot, I suppose if it doesn't embarrass him I shouldn't care, and he tells me that they will have nothing to do with such things, which I think is a commendably realistic point of view. I do occasionally get the impression that the Royalist Army was manned largely by Cap'n Hook and Long John Silver, but they seem to have fun, make some rather satisfying bangs and clouds of smoke, and get through some beer afterwards, and why not?

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There is Graffiti of considerable age in Wheal Druid, which was nice to bump into.

I did see some photos taken by a ex LSM student of a certain training mine down this way and the inside of it is like the new york underground. Bloody students. It goes way beyond initials and date. As an explorer myself, it is interesting to see subtely put calling cards to see who beat you there.

It makes me cross when people go beyond initials and date. Finger writing on ochre or timbers is one thing, bloody spray paint is another. As someone interested in the history of the place and it's natural degradation, I do not want to see fricking spray paint everywhere. I can't stress this strongly enough. Bloody CSM and their white spray paint.....

I know that the CSM and their peers are a reputable organisation and contributing to the people who make history, but the sort of graffiti that some of these pricks churn out is sickening and amounts to vandalism.

Discreet Date Initials- OK
Historic info-OK

Tagging and irrelevant jibber jabber. NOT OK :ban:

Having said, people will look back in 100 years or so at the LSM training mine and say "what a bunch of pricks?"

Best to try and observe the cavers' saying 'Leave nothing but footprints; take nothing but photographs'.

I've never felt the need to leave my name in a mine and don't intend ever to do so, but It's cool to see miners graffiti. Some of the stuff left by explorers isnt too bad I guess but I wouldn't do it.

There is a cavern in Hudgill mine which attracted alot of tourists when the mine was working many of whom left their names on the wall with dates. It's interesting to see and I guess after a long enough interval all the cr#p on the walls of the Ballroom will be interesting, but to me, now, it just makes it feel like a bus station and I don't like going there.

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I've never felt the need to leave my name in a mine and don't intend ever to do so, but It's cool to see miners graffiti. Some of the stuff left by explorers isnt too bad I guess but I wouldn't do it.

There is a cavern in Hudgill mine which attracted alot of tourists when the mine was working many of whom left their names on the wall with dates. It's interesting to see and I guess after a long enough interval all the cr#p on the walls of the Ballroom will be interesting, but to me, now, it just makes it feel like a bus station and I don't like going there.

I agree, its interesting to see stuff left by the actual miners, especially the the names chiselled into rock but to be honest I find for example the graff in the ballroom in Smallcleugh very depressing (as well as the rubbish). I dont understand at all why anyone feels the need to mark the fact that they have been there, especially somewhere that is historic.

I was just thinking after a trip today that underground is one of the few places where you will come across proper old artefacts, untouched and in their original condition and yet for me, the whole vibe is spoiled by seeing puerile rubbish scrawled all over the walls, not to mention all those direction arrows everywhere. Rant over, I am going to stop before by blood pressure goes through the roof 🙂