Monument Type(s):

• LEAD MINE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)

Summary

A post medieval lead mine.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5626 - 1993 Condition assessment of the Roman Gravels mines
• ESA6042 - 1999 Survey of Roman Gravels Mine Complex by Wardell Armstrong
• ESA5173 - 1977-1979, 1981 & 1991 surveys of mines in South Shropshire mining area.

Description

This mine formed part of the East Roman Gravels complex (PRN 01317) until 1853, when it was taken over by the Hope Valley Co. Earlier the mine had been reported empty by 1830. The mine known as East Roman Gravels had existed under the various names of Wood Mine, Hope valley mine, Upper Batholes Mine and West Tankerville Mine Valley Mine, Upper Batholes Mine and West Tankerville Mine. <1>

Desk based assessment with field walk over surveys undertaken in 1994 as part of the South Shropshire Lead Mines Survey. Batholes Mine was relatively unproductive and significant remains are not thought to exist below ground surface. <4>

Further investigations by Wardell Armstrong Ltd in 1999 registered no further archaeological interest concerning the mine shafts and adits that were due to be filled as part of road strengthening works. <5,6,7,8>

Unit 1: A possible spoil heap of unknown date, seen as an earthwork, and mapped from poor quality aerial photographs. EH Author: FJS Date: 06/05/94 <9>

Material mined:Lead. Geology: Mytton Flags. Worked -1839, 1849-77, c1960. Visited: 1978. The drainage edit (Prickiln Level) has never been located. Batholes Shaft is located to the left of the track and is completely blocked. The track leads to a concrete pit often full of water, into which a level issues. It is brick lined, and goes 20 ft to a mud blockage, though in 1960 it was penetrated 50 yds to a blockage. This would appear to be Upper Level. Immediately above it is a choked shaft, probably corresponding to the blockage. By heading SW up the hillside, the old tramway connecting Nick Knolls, Batholes and Wood Mines is reached. Near this is a large conical depression, probably the remains of Gin Ring Shaft. At the crest of the rise are a series of exploratory opencast workings. This account is based on ref. 8, however the plans in ref. 3 do not agree, either with this description or with each other.->

-> Four hundred yards to the SW are a shaft and adit, both blocked by rubbish. These are probably associated with workings on the Gate Level Vein. Also present on the Batholes site, near the house, is the concrete cover of Milne Shaft, (see Leigh Level) and the footings of the winding engine. Refs: 1 p108, 3 pp1-2, 5 p13, 8 p14, 10 328/26- 28,1509/10, 36, 46, 11 9463, 12 p40. <10>

Identified, and recorded on an IRIS form by Shropshire Caving and Mining Club. These workings are identified as Batholes Mine in operation from mid 18th to mid 20th century, and for which a number of features are identified. Open shaft SJ337006; open adit SJ339006; flooded shaft SJ339009 and Brick Kiln level and a collapsed shaft SJ340008. <12>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.