View single post by Robert

Posted: Wed Apr 3rd, 2019 17:16

Joined:	Mon Apr 2nd, 2012
Location:	South Lakeland, UK
Posts:	4066
Status:	Offline

They were slate mines, some of the best blue Burlington slate. The current major quarry is less than two miles away, a massive undertaking, my guess this was an exploratory dig, although it's pretty extensive, considering it was all dug by hand. Probably dates from mid 19th century, when the railways came. Access wasn't good, still isn't, crossing open boggy moorland. The main quarry is open cast and close to a main road.

This is one of the mines: The pile of rubble at the back is what I believe they did to make the mine safe, they blasted the rock face above the entrance to the main tunnel to prevent anybody going into the mine, which would be very dangerous, the roof is not propped, even if it were propped, the props would be rotten by now. I have been into one mine where the roof has collapsed and probably a hundred tons of very large boulders are strewn on the mine floor, a massive cavern where the roof has collapsed.

This is the slate, it's the best naturally formed strata I have seen, it's beautiful stone, like building with Leggo bricks!

And closer up, this is how they made roofing slates, this sample has split itself, with repeated frosts.

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Robert.