Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead, Cumbria, OS Ref: NY788430.
Smallcleugh Mine started in around 1770, looking for the continuation of Hanginshaw's West of Nent Vein, but this was soon abandoned. In 1787 the work was restarted by an agent for the London Lead Company along the Smallcleugh Cross Vein which produced an immense quantity of ore. There where also many other rich veins worked from Smallcleugh - Middlecleugh (and 1st and 2nd Sun Veins), Longcleugh, and Great Cross. The mine over the years was also worked by the Nenthead and Tynedale Lead and Zinc Company and Vieille Montagne Zinc Company. Most of the operations in Smallcleugh had come to an end around the 1900's. In 1963 the mine was briefly reopened in pursuit of new ore reserves, but little large scale mining took place. A famous occurrence at the mine was the dinner party held down it. On September 2nd 1901, 28 members of the local Masonic branch held a dinner down the mine in a large stope know today as the Ballroom Flat.
It is often assumed that Smallcleugh Mine extends all the way to Bogg Shaft and beyond, as these are reached via the Smallcleugh portal, however Smallcleugh originally only went as far as the Longcleugh Vein past the Ballroom, and the beginnings of the Middlecleugh Vein and Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein. The area past this which covers Carr's Cross Vein, Cow Hill Cross Vein, Barron's Sump Chamber and beyond are is in fact a separate mine called Longcleugh Mine, which was originally worked by shafts.