Hi all, have spent the last 2 years wandering in and around the derwent lead mines, wondered if anyone had any plans for the area?

Just to make sense of some of the ran in/collapsed bits.

thanks.

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Nothing personally as its just that little bit outside my area.

The BGS website should give you an idea of what may exists
(apart from the fact the map search appears to be broken at the moment)
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/nocomico/choose_search.htm 

Text search comes back with the following

Catalogue No
Mine Name
Plan Location
Scan Location

From my memories of getting stuff before "SP" are Sections and "OM" are plans

SP2191
DERWENT MINE:GRINDSTONE CLEUGH
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

OM1764
DERWENT, CRAIG, EASTER, ELLEN, JEFFRIES, JEMMYS, MACDONNELL, REEDS, ROBINSONS, RUTH, SOD, TAYLOR, WESTGARTH, WHITEHEAPS, WHITSUN
DURHAM RECORDS OFFICE, DURHAM
COAL AUTHORITY

OM1764A
DERWENT, DAY, FELLGROVE, GIN-IN-THE-WOOD, SHILDON NORTHUMBERLAND RECORDS OFFICE, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
COAL AUTHORITY

OM2728
HEALEYFIELD, DERWENT, FORSTERS, GILL, SPOTESWOOD, WEST
DURHAM RECORDS OFFICE, DURHAM
COAL AUTHORITY

SP2194
WHITEHEAPS
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

SP2156
WHITEHEAPS
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

SP2192 WHITEHEAPS
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

SP2088 WHITEHEAPS
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

SP2193 WHITEHEAPS
BGS EDINBURGH
BGS EDINBURGH

OM11393
HUNSTANWORTH, BURNHEAD, CRAIG, FERNEY GILL, POWER HOUSE, WHITEHEAPS
DURHAM RECORDS OFFICE, DURHAM
COAL AUTHORITY

Some people might have, there certainly is one for Whiteheaps on here.

But your best bet is to contact the records office for the county that the mines are in and see if they have a catalogue. Some offices do, some don't. Then arrange a visit armed with a camera.

It was a revelation when I visited Cumbria RO on the amount that they had.

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Some people might have, there certainly is one for Whiteheaps on here.

Indeed, three now you mention it.

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Whiteheaps-Fluorite-Mine/whiteheaps-006.pdf 

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Whiteheaps-Fluorite-Mine/whiteheaps-003.pdf 

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Whiteheaps-Fluorite-Mine/ferney-gill-section.pdf 

Forgot about BGS, that as Chris shows is a good source. However you have to pay £3.00 + VAT per scan, with a min order of £30.00. A snap really compared to the amount of work involved in photographing and piecing plans together. however, they may not have everything that a RO has, as it can be a bit dis-jointed.

The only other thing with the BGS is that if you don't go an look at the plans you don't know what you are getting. I have got copies of the same plan in BW and Colour without them flagging it. Also some plans might have not much on them and again you don't know until you get it.

I'ved used them twice now, and did ask for them to check / filter them for me - not much luck.

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If you've got a lot of free time, get yourself to the Durham Record Office and start to go through Dunhams Estate (he of Geology of the North Pennine Orefield fame)

http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/AdvancedSearchCatalogueDetail.aspx?SearchType=Param&SearchID=d8618a68-cfbe-47aa-b6b2-c0a4ba62af14&ItemID=169609 

Looks like a treasure trove of information there.

Hunstanworth Mines Ltd. & successors (Ref: D/Dun 4/1-8)Ref: D/Dun 4/1

Geology of west Whiteheaps Mine area
Scale: 1:1,200
Ref: D/Dun 4/2

Whiteheaps Mine, plan compiled and surveyed by British Steel Corporation c.1980
Scale: 1:500
Ref: D/Dun 4/3

Whiteheaps Mine, interpretation of geological structure
see also D/Dun 2/46
Ref: D/Dun 4/4

Ramshaw Mine, longitudinal geological section
Scale; 1:2,400
Ref: D/Dun 4/5

Jeffries Mine, longitudinal and cross sections
Scale: 1:2,400
Ref: D/Dun 4/6

Cross section, Whiteheaps to Ramshaw
Ref: D/Dun 4/7

Beldon Mine transverse section through Drawing and Engine shafts
Scale: 1:288
Ref: D/Dun 4/8

Whiteheaps Mine
Scale: 1:2,000
Hunstanworth Mines Ltd. & successors - reports and correspondence (Ref: D/Dun 4/9)Ref: D/Dun 4/9

Hunstanworth Mines (for Whiteheaps see D/Dun 2/45)

Forgot about BGS, that as Chris shows is a good source. However you have to pay £3.00 + VAT per scan, with a min order of £30.00.

Yes, its an absolute gouge these days.

I remember when that service first started it was completely free.

A nice lady sent me three CD's full of plans without asking for a penny a return. That soon changed.

I keep on meaning to go to the Durham RO and Northumberlands (at Woodhorn), but it is a major effort.

Has anyone been to these two?

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thanks for the advice all, hoping to get to DRO this week sometime.

got stung with 'blind' online orders once before, ordered what i though were a selection of mine plans, paid £45 for it, got 22 letters referring to mine plans!

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I've just noticed that NMRS have made some parts of the out-of-print "Memoirs" series available online.

This one may be of interest to you :-

Sike Head Lead Mine, Ramshaw, Northumberland (NA Chapman)

http://www.nmrs.org.uk/publications/pdf/BM55/BM55-31-36-sikehead.pdf 

@mike
Durham Record office has loads of plans but some belong to sherburn Stone and can't be accessed without their permission.
Still well worth a visit though.
Not sure how much Woodhorn have. The NRO used to be in Gosforth and when it moved to Woodhorn the Mining institute reclaimed all those belonging to them and these are now at the NEIMME library in Neville Hall Newcastle.

@ poosticker, I have quite a few plans for mines in the Derwent area, you are more than welcome to look at and photograph. I'm in Weardle so bit more accessible than Woodhorn I expect 😉 Send me a PM if you wish to visit.

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thanks for all the info guys, much appreciated, seems whiteheaps is to be a worthy explore (hopefully if all goes well not from ferney either).

The expanded info on sikehead is great chris, sits alongside the NMRS 70 and 65 fantasticly!

The eastern end is the one capturing our interest and what i really want info on.

couple of possible 'in roads' hover that end hidden out of the records and well out of sight.

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I live over in Bearpark and I'm a regular visitor to some of The Derwent Valley mine remains as well as Weardale. I no longer go underground but I try to monitor whats left on top.
If I can help or if you fancy theres always Beldon, Whiteheaps, Sikehead. The NMRS published a books by Fairbairn on the Derwent Valley, Weardale and Allendale.
Let me know when you are going out and if you want company I certainly up for it.

Cheers

Gordon-

You cant go anywhere until you know where you are

Your picture of 8th August 2013 entitled 'Northern Level at Ramshaw' shows the entrance to a tunnel which carried a line of horizontal rods to work pumps in one of the Ramshaw shafts. It is taken from the top of a wall of gabions installed to replace the original stone wall which towered over the position of a large waterwheel driving the said rods. This wheel also powered a crushing mill. At the northern end of the wheel site is another tunnel inside which was a wooden balance quadrant which was still intact until about 20 years ago.
Like Presser and Sikehead Mines, Ramshaw had two vertical shafts. On one was located a steam beam engine driving pumps but was probably only short lived and the shaft is now capped. The other shaft is still open and had pumps in it operated by the waterwheel; on the ground above it the position of a capstan can be made out.
Don't know much about the underground at these mines but the surface features are absolutely fascinating; Sikehead Mine is like a little bit of Cornwall :thumbup:

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your of course correct simon, was one of my earlier uploads, honestly forgot to change it along with a few others.

Been spending a lot of time up there this year, unbelievable site with so much left on he ground around the deborah washings/jeffreys mill.

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