‘Beautifully constructed’ 400-year-old lead mine uncovered near Sheffield

Volunteers have uncovered a 400-year-old “beautifully constructed” mine shaft near Sheffield.

Members of Peak District Mines Historical Society cleared overgrowth and rotting timbers to reveal a gristone-lined hole, believed to date back to the late 1600s.

Director Gary Whitmore said making it safe was the first phase of a restoration project.

It comes as Sheffield Supertram bosses are battling to restore services at Birley Lane after a mine that was missed during construction in the 1990s opened up under tracks in August.

The Peak District shaft is on private land in an undisclosed location near Sheffield to prevent explorers putting themselves at risk, Mr Whitmore said.

It is believed to have been a lead mine for up to 200 years, until about 1790, before being abandoned for 160 years.

It came back to life in the 1960s when hobbyists extracted fluorspar, he added.

But no one had touched it for years.

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Mr Whitmore, writing on the charity’s Facebook page, said: “Hidden away in the Derbyshire countryside is this remarkable shaft. Beautifully constructed, impressively large and lined with carefully laid gritstone blocks, it’s a wonderful example of the craftsmanship of miners from generations past.

“Now the shaft is secure and safely capped, the focus will be on preserving the ground features of this fascinating piece of Derbyshire’s mining heritage for future generations.”

The society runs the the Peak District Mining Museum and Temple Mine in Matlock Bath and helps preserve the iconic Magpie Mine, at Sheldon near Bakewell.

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