Mines of Mendip

  The mines on Mendip are notable in that they were often extensions of existing caving systems or simply intersected natural passageways as they were worked.  Many of the mines were simply surface workings, leaving behind what is known as 'gruffy ground' although several ran deep underground.

  There has been no comprehensive work on the mines and their remains in this area.  W.J. Goughs 'Mines of Mendip' covers their history, while several papers published by various spelaeological/caving groups such as the Bristol Exploration Club & University of Bristol Spelaeological Society tend to cover some specific sites.  Likewise there has previously been no attempt to combine these two approaches - in the fullness of time it is hoped that this work will breach this void.

The Mines of The Mendip Hills & Surrounding Area

Mine & Mining Company Names	Location, References, Photos & Maps
Axbridge Ochre Mine	NGR ST 4312 5510  - British Caver 21, pp. 65-72   - Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  19-20  Survey: BEC 1976
Buddles Wood Mine	Near Chewton Mendip   - Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981, pp.15, Photo.
Burrington Ham	NGR ST 48? 58?  - The Mines of Mendip, J.W.Gough,1967 pp. 211   - Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3, February 1982, pp. 40, 43
Compton Martin Ochre Mine	NGR ST 5419 5670 A.Legg, Survey Notes, MNRC Newsletter No.40 (April 1993).  D.B.Manley, Further Notes on Compton Martin Ochre Mine, SMCC Journal 6(2) pp. 10-12 (1976)  F.B.A.Welch, The Geology of the Country around Wells & Cheddar, Memoirs of the Geological Survey, HMSO,1965, pp. 74 & 165.  J.W.Gough, The Mines of Mendip, 1967 pp. 249-250  M.T.Mills, Compton Martin Ochre Mine, SMCC Journal 6(2) pp. 6-9 (1976)  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  38-39  Survey: MNRC (1992)
Devil's Cave Mine  (Bath Stone)	Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  48
Dolebury Levvy	NGR ST 4502 5873  J.W.Gough, The Mines of Mendip, 1967 pp. 173, 243-245.  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  48-49.
East Harptree Lead Smelting Co.	NGR ST 554 547 The Mining Journal, 1869-71     Smelt Works Chimney - April 2000 First Edition 1:10,560 County Series O.S. (circa. 1888)
Elborough Mine	Elborough Hill, near Banwell  Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1980, pp. 2-3.  Bickford's Shaft &   Vivian's Shaft  The Mining Journal, 1846 - 22.8, 31.10, 7.11.  1847 - 23.1, 10.7, 17.7
Great Maple Mine	NGR ST 3877 5866 Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  81  Survey: C.Richards (1976)
Grebe Swallet Mine	NGR ST 5044 5550  Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc., 1991 19 (1) pp. 43-65
Lamb Leer Cavern	NGR ST 5432 5506  H.E.Balch, Mendip - its Swallet Caves and Rock Shelters  (1948) pp. 38-49.  H.Murrel, A Very Great Vault, WCC Journal 3(45) pp. 7-11    -1954  Johnson, Peter, 'The History of Mendip Caving', 1967, pp.81-93 Description & Survey.  M.Hesleden, In Search of Palmers, WCC Journal 11(136) pp. 285-288.  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp.  88-91.  MNRC Journal 2(1) Lamb Leer I(1965) & 2(2) Lamb Leer II    (1966).  Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc., 1961 9 (3) pp. 183-187 1961-62., T.R.Shaw Lamb Leer in the 17th Century  Survey: MNRC (1962-66), MNRC Journal 2(2).
Little Downs, Ebbor Rocks	The Mining Journal, 1856-71  Ebbor Rocks Mineral and Mining Co. Ltd. The Mining Journal, 1860, pp. 213, 297, 333, 375, 377, 777.
Middle Hope, Kewstoke	NGR ST 342 665 J.W.Gough, The Mines of Mendip, 1967 pp. 172  Skinners MSS  Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981, pp. 21-22
Ore's Close	Ore's Close Farm, Hillgrove  Article by Tim Guilford OUCC
Pen Park Hole	NGR ST 5852 7920  Pen Park Hole Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc., 1993 19 (3), 291-311 'Pen Park Hole, Bristol, A Reassessment', G.J. Mullan.
Sandford Levvy	NGR ST 4290 5935 H.E.Balch, Mendip - its Swallet Caves and Rock Shelters (1948) pp. 99-102.  J.Rutter, Deliniations of the North Western Division of the County of Somerset and its Antideluvian Bone Caverns (1829) pp. 109  J.W.Gough, The Mines of Mendip, 1967 pp.   9, 173.  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp. 144-145  Survey: SMCC (1977)
Shipham (Calamine Mining)	NGR ST 445 575 J.W.Gough, The Mines of Mendip, 1967 pp. 223-227. Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, July 1983, pp.1-7 Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981, pp.25
Simond's Mine (Cavers Name)	NGR ST 570 478 Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1980, pp. 7.  Nr West end of Haydon Drove, top of east bank.
Singing River Mine	NGR ST 4447 5736  C.Richard, Singing River Mine, ACG Newsletters pp. 34-38,50- 51, & 81-84 (1971).  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp. 150-152.  Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981, pp. 20 Visit to, nr Shipham  Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, July 1982, pp. 6  150 yds East of St. Leonards Church  Survey: ACG(1971)
Single-Way Mine	Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp. 153.
St. Cuthberts Lead Smelting Co.	The Mining Journal, 1862-64,1866,1867
Tor Hole Area	NGR ST 574 520  Tor Hole Area Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981
Ubley's Rake	Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1980, pp. 6-7
Unknown	Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1980, pp. 3.  Pb mine 4 mile to NE of Elborough.
Waldergrave Lead Works, Priddy	Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1, July 1982, unpag. Photo, 1910
Waterwheel Swallet	NGR ST 5048 5564  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp. 199  Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc., 1987 18 (1), pp. 3-19 'Waterwheel Swallet, Charterhouse-On-Mendip' W.I. Stanton  Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc., 1987 18 (1), pp. 4 Survey 'Waterwheel Swallet, Charterhouse-On-Mendip'
Winford Redding Pits	NGR ST 5342 6370  J.Beauchamp, Redding Pits, Winford, MCG Newsletter (197) pp. 1- 2 (1987).  Mendip Underground, A Caver's Guide, Irwin, D.J. & Jarrett, A., 3rd Edn., 1993 pp. 205-206.  Survey: MCG (1987) Newsletter (1987) pp. 2.
Worle Hill, Weston Super Mare	NGR ST 32 62 Somerset Mines Research Group Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 1981  Woodspring Museum, Weston super Mare. GENERAL REF Descent No 46 pp. 46

A.C.G. Axbridge Caving Group & Archaeological Society
B.E.C. Bristol Exploration Club
M.C.G. Mendip Caving Group
M.N.R.C. Mendip Nature Research Committee
S.M.C.C. Shepton Mallet Caving Group
W.C.C. Wessex Cave Club

• Mendip Hills Mines The Mining Journal, 1860, pp. 213, 228, 382, 880.
• Mendip Hills Mining Co. The Mining Journal, 1844-58,1860
• Mendip Hills, mineral working on The Mining Journal, 1860, pp. 415, 436, 454, 470, 564, 824.
• Green, G.W. & Welch, F.B.A. ;  Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. Geology of the Country around Wells and Cheddar, 1977 (1965), 2nd Imp', 225pp. + xii pp.163-5 Lead-Zinc Mineralization.
• Barrington, Nicholas ;  The Caves of Mendip , 1964, 91pp.
• Toulson, Shirley ;  The Mendip Hills, A Threatened Landscape, pp. 22-41 'Gruffy Ground: Lead, Coal & Stone'
• Proceedings of University of Bristol Spelaeological Society, Listing of articles published in Vols. 1 - 20
• R.A. Ixer and D.J. Vaughan. 1993 ; 'Lead-zinc-fluorite-baryte deposits of the Pennines, Mendips and North Wales.'  R.A.D. Pattrick and D.A. Polya (eds). Mineralization in the British Isles. Chapman and Hall. pp.355-418.
• R.A. Ixer. 1986 ; 'The ore mineralogy and parageneses of the lead-zinc-fluorite-baryte orefields of the English Pennine and Mendip Hills.'  S Augustithis (ed) Mineral Parageneses Theophrastus Publications, Athens. pp.179-210.
• Cossons, Neil ; 'Industrial Monuments in the Mendip, South Cotswold and Bristol Region', 1967, 32pp.

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