The Society is pleased to announce that one of the Heritage Open Day events in the Derbyshire Peak District will be held at the Magpie lead mine, near Sheldon, on Sunday 16th September 2018.
The day’s events will include:
– guided tours of the buildings and other surface features of the mine. Tours take place on the hour from 11.00am to 4.00pm, with the last tour starting at 4.00pm. (Tours last about 1 hour). No booking required – just turn up on the day.
– light refreshments including tea and coffee
There is no charge for entry or for the guided tours but donations to PDMHS to help fund the upkeep of the site are most welcome.
No underground access is possible at Magpie Mine but you can safely look down the mine shaft which is over 700ft deep. If you would like to visit some historic underground lead mining workings our Museum in Matlock Bath offers guided tours of Temple Mine a short walk from the museum. See the museum web site for times and prices.
For more extensive mine exploration members of PDMHS can join our Underground Exploration Group.
The Magpie Mine is the best preserved example of a 19th century lead mine anywhere in Britain, and was in use from at least 1650 until 1958 – the last working lead mine in Derbyshire. It is now a Scheduled Monument, and is looked after by the Peak District Mines Historical Society. You can read more about the history of Magpie Mine here.
There is no vehicle access to the mine site itself, but cars can be left on the road close to the mine. A short walk along a track leads to the mine buildings, which are situated near the village of Sheldon in the Peak District, three miles west of Bakewell, and two miles east of Monyash. The event will be signposted from the A6 at Ashford-in-the-Water and other roads which lead to the site. Use postcode DE45 1QU to find it on sat-nav, or click here to see the location on Google maps.
Sturdy footwear is advised because parts of the site are quite rough. The site, at over 1000ft above sea level on the limestone plateau is quite exposed, so a wind- and waterproof jacket is also advisable.
This event is not suitable for children under the age of 5. Visitors are asked to take care not to interfere with any aspect of this Scheduled Monument to ensure the site, with its historic artefacts and buildings, remains in good condition for the enjoyment and education of future generations.
More about Magpie and other Heritage Open Days.