5am saw me driving down the M5, eventually arriving at my meeting point and having a quick brew and a bacon butty while I waited for my contact to arrive. Fed and watered, grabbed box of kit and set off to the location. A while back, they'd found water bubbling up, and after quite a bit of digging and the attentions of a borrowed backhoe, the end of an adit had been exposed, and quite a lot of water had emerged making a big yellow splodge. Some time later, the water slowed, and it was time to go in for a look. The abandonment plans from 1880ish show a 280 fathom long adit going into the hill, leading to the top level of 5 levels of workings along about 375 fathoms of lode, down to a depth of 80 fathoms below adit. We found ourselves walking in a head height passage, on what at first look appears to be a floor made of scaff boards, but on closer inspection is a wooden launder in superb condition with the water still flowing through it, the boards are hard as anything due to being pickled in arsenic rich water for 130 years. The diggers have cleverly engineered the entrance area with a dam to keep the water levels just over the launder, preventing oxidation of the wood. The passage is in pretty good condition, with a fairly thick coating of yellow ochre. Unfortunately after only 50 yards there was a collapse which, while passable, held the water levels at between chest and neck depth; this will need to be removed slowly and carefully otherwise an awful lot of water is going to be released and do some damage elsewhere.
On the outside, there is evidence of buildings and buddles, and a good suggestion that, under all the silt and spoil may be the remains of the processing sheds where, at one time, there were over 30 head of stamps in operation.
Further up the hill, following the tips, was the engine house which had been converted into a very nice house; this once housed one of the biggest engines in the area. Somewhere under the garden is a shaft going down; nearby the plans show an air shaft, and another adit which has probably been backfilled and landscaped.
During its life, the mine produced lead, silver and zinc ore and some barite.
A bloody good day out, and thanks to the diggers for letting me have a look. I have been asked not to reveal locations or post any photos, and will respect their wishes. All I can say is that, after a bit (or a lot) of work, this promises to be a truly spectacular place to visit.