Ventilation is a critical part of mining with the constant supply of air being needed by the miners and horses to survive. Explosive gases (firedamp) were rare in Cleveland, but not totally unknown, a gas explosion at Lingdale in 1953 killed 8 miners. Lack of oxygen (blackdamp) is main danger locally, this can very quickly […]
The method of working used throughout Cleveland is known at ‘Bord and Pillar’ The mine progresses forward by cutting a checkerboard of passages (bords) leaving pillars of ironstone about 20ft by 30ft supporting the roof. When the limit of working is reached, which could be the edge of the mining royalty or the outcrop of […]
Early ironmaking may date as far back as Roman times, multiple furnaces were in existence at Rievaulx Abbey by the 16th century with other small-scale operations on surface outcrops in Bilsdale, Bransdale, Rosedale and Fryup Dale. Records also exist for coastal collection of ironstone from the foreshore and cliffs. Underground ironstone mining started at Grosmont […]
What is Ironstone ? Ironstone is a sedimentary rock formed on the sea bed in the Jurassic period, 185 million years ago.The iron-bearing minerals are siderite and chamosite, with an iron content in the stone around 30%. The “Main Seam” was the one worked in the majority of Cleveland mines, at Eston this is as […]