Snitterton near Matlock · AditNow Community

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

kurnal
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

9 years ago

There is a fairly large mound of what might be cinder or mine waste in Snitterton near Matlock at grid reference SK Easting 28042 Northing 60614 the junction of the main road and the back entrance to Cawdor Quarry and the Permanite site. I wondered if it had any connection with mining but have found no reference to it in any books so far.

Do any of your learned contributors have an opinion on this? It's more or less in line with the Jug holes entrance but way down on the valley floor.

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your AditNow Community forum account or Register a new forum account

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

Very close to a "disused lead shaft"

http://maps.nls.uk/view/101600853

Two capped shafts can be seen on sat imges, crosshair on centre of 3 shafts.

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.142389&lon=-1.581618&z=19.1&r=0&src=msl

Edit: If it's to the west of the junction it's marked as "Moat" on the 1:25000 OS maps.

mikehiggins
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

Not sure about the large mound but Morlock's links relate to air shafts on Orchard Sough. The lead shaft on the old map is now covered by a very large concrete raft on which the farmer stacks agricultural stuff and the one in the centre of the aerial image is now just a patch of bare earth. There is still a shaft mound in the NE corner of the field. I have an "Orchard Sough Project" which is on hold at the moment 😞 as I have too many other caving/mine things on the go!

LeeW
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

The shaft is shown as Orchard Founder Shaft. It is on Orchard Vein/Sough.

I am not sure if or what type of engine it may have had.

Historytrog or someone with more knowledge of the area should be able to provide some information (if there is any)

I went in a mine once.... it was dark and scary..... full of weirdos

When do I get my soapbox, I need to rant on about some b***cks

historytrog
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

Sorry but I have not done much in the Snitterton area – it is outside the scope of my Matlock book. The reports of Op Mole for that area are marvellously detailed – some appear in Nellie Kirkham’s papers on the PDMHS website, others are available in the DRO in Margaret Howard’s deposit.

AR
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

I don't think it was an engine shaft, I suspect it's much more likely to have been the hauling shaft for driving a sough along the sole of Orchard vein up towards Oxclose and so what you're seeing is a large hillock of driving rather than sinking waste. There are some other veins marked as being parallel on the barmaster's map, and interestingly, there's a "sough on vein" apparently feeding into the brook to the north-west.

More of the Op Mole material should become available as the Nash collection gets sorted out, Davetidza will be able to say more about that.

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

mikehiggins
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

The "sough on vein" is actually Orchard Sough, the tail of which is on the south side of the brook (don't think it has a name) a short distance before it reaches the Derwent. See photo on this site.

darkmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

Orchard sough is a bit of a no go. The sough is well blocked and the next shaft on the system was filled up with dead pigs after the swine flu epidemic in the 1960s.
If you get past that the large swimming pool in Snitterton hall broke thru into the level with the borehole footings and its full of concrete.

mikehiggins
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

And yet there's a very strong and constant flow of water from the tail that must originate in the limestone beyond the hall.

darkmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#10

I suspect that the water is coming from a sub branch in the direction of Jugholes " direction not conection" under the house opposite the Bull Ring.

mikehiggins
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#11

That's very interesting, I've never come across any reference to such a branch off Orchard Sough. There is a shaft in the garden of Bullring Cottage (used to be in the adjacent farmyard long ago) that is lined with bricks (of a non-standard size) instead of the usual stonework. This is 30 feet deep and is blocked at the bottom. I reckon there is about another 10 feet to go to sough level. Do you have any info on the possible branch sough darkmole - I'd be really interested to learn more.

darkmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#12

I will have to dig out the Op mole reports but they did not get very far up the sough tail in the early 1960s and entered by the shaft at the back of the bungalow on the Oaker footpath this was the shaft which was later filled by dead pigs.
There are two barmasters plans at Chatsworth noted by Nellie Kirkham but they are a bit faded of the Snitterton area.

davetidza
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#13

As Adam has pointed out there is a large body of information contained in the Op. Mole records that I have recently moved to Matlock Bath. However, this is a huge project for anyone who wants to synthesize this material into some form of historical account. I'm not sure that I will survive long enough to do this on my own. Offers of assistance would be gratefully accepted.

Dave Williams

kurnal
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

9 years ago

#14

Thanks to all for your interesting responses so far. Surprised to read about the pigs being dumped in this way.

I was once told by an old firefighter who had descended bullestree mine engine shaft near cromford station in the early 1960s that there were many dead animals there and if I recall there was a major foot and mouth epidemic circa 1960 so possibly this technique for disposal was used there.