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Summary

Remains of the `Old Dressing Floor' at Virtuous Lady Copper Mine.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX46NE52
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1468732

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DRESSING FLOOR (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website (Website). SDV364039.

(28/09/2007) Remains of the 'Old Dressing Floor' at Virtuous Lady Copper Mine. The position of the old dressing floor is annotated on the Abandoned Mine Plan (1a?) but there are no drawn details other than a wheelpit. It is to be a assumed that this area was disused when the map was surveyed. The wheelpit has survived and although badly disturbed and backfilled in traces of masonry are still visible in situ. It was between 4 and 5m long by 1.4m wide. There is a hollowed earthwork on the east side, possibly a stamping area. The leat survives in places and may be traced back as far as William's Shaft, however, near the wheelpit it has been buried by the spoil from a later unnamed shaft, although it emerges from the spoil for a short distance just above the wheelpit, and runs onto a short embankment. The underground tailrace emerges south of the wheelpit into a substantial channel of 3.5m wide by 1.5m deep with steep sides running back towards the river.
West of the wheelpit is a dressing floor, comprising a 9.5m long terrace of two levels defined at the back by a 1.3m high revetment. Against the foot of the revetment there is a 3m wide level terrace then a further drop of 0.5m to a larger levelled area. A shallow stone-lined pit is located at the eastern end of this floor. It measures 2.5m by 1.5m and 0.3m deep with slightly bowed sides. West of this floor there is another large revetted area, though this is currently covered by scrub (citing Newman, P., 28-SEP-2007, EH Archaeological Field Investigation).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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