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We were pleasantly surprised after eventually finding the mine. Whilst Victorian stone chimneys and pumping
houses littered the landscape, it was an interesting diversion to find a more recently built mine, although
little minutiae remained.
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Slopping gently northwards, and built on two plateaus, the site commanded dramatic vistas of the neighbouring
Twelveheads village and the hills around. Small, badly vandalised and stripped workshops and offices
held little interest, although a decapitated Vauxhall Astra in one of the buildings caused some comment.
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However, the truncated headgear (recently lopped by the previous owner), settlement tank, sloping conveyor
and the huge processing building looked far more interesting.
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The original headgear was a local landmark, and after years of dereliction, there were moves to
slap a preservation order on the site. Faster than you could say "Firestone", the headgear was crudely
removed, the owner claiming it was in a dangerous state.
The original shaft was to the front of the two concrete tubes. Now capped with concrete, there's
a small pipe through which the brave can drop stones and slowy count to five, until the distant
splash can be heard.
You can get into the mine via other workings, but this entrance isn't on the site.
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