Nentsberry Haggs Horse Level, Nentsberry, Alston, Cumbria, OS Ref: NY76614503.
The
earliest workings around Haggs Mine where developed before the actual horse
level was driven. These consisted of levels and trials north of the horse
level. One of the larger levels was the High Raise Low Level, which worked the
High Raise Vein discovered in 1789 by the Brownley Hill Company. There is no
reference that shows when the Haggs Horse Level was first started, but records
indicate that the Nentsberry Haggs Vein was being worked in 1737, which is the
course of the horse level.
By 1852 the Haggs Horse Level bearing north
had reached the High Raise Vein. The vein at this time was not found to be rich
and only when the mine was worked under the Nentsberry Mining Company (1895 -
1908) and later on the Lugdale Chemical Company (1908 - 1912) did richer
commercially viable deposits get found. The Haggs Horse Level was also
developed southwards along the Wellgill Cross Vein, ultimately joining the
Brownley Hill Mine. The production of minerals up to 1912 included lead,
witherite, and zinc. These where mined from the Cumbrian side of the
mine.
In 1913/14 the mine passed to the Vieille Montagne Zinc Company
and was worked by them until the late 1930's. Most of the mining carried out by
them was over the county border in Northumberland. The Vieille Montagne Zinc
Company was responsible for driving the continuation of the High Raise Vein,
which led to the discovery and development of the Cox, Dupoint and Sincay
Veins. Subsequently these led to the discovery of the First and Second Sun
Veins and the Treloar Vein. These veins where found to intersect some of the
older Beaumont workings from the Wellhope Low Level.
The ore from the
Nentsberry Haggs complex was treated at the Nentsberry Mill near the level
mouth. In 1925, the 127m deep Wellhope Shaft was sunk close to the intersection
of the High Raise and Dupoint Veins to provide an alternative means of
transport for the ore. The ore was transported from the shaft via an aerial
ropeway to the Rampgill Mill, but due to technical difficulties it was never
successful and was quickley abandoned.
The mines output was the greatest
until 1938, after this the mine was worked sporadically by a number of
different companies. Finally the last operator, the Anglo-Austral Company
stopped its operations in 1953, with the mine being formally abandoned on the
last day in 1958. In 1983 a trial was made on behalf of Industrial Minerals Ltd
via the Wellhope Shaft. It was discovered that the horse level was not
reachable due to flooding near the bottom. However the sublevels above the
horse level were accessible and large un-extracted deposits of high grade lead
ore where found along with the main mineral assets of zinc-witherite
ores.
Access to the Nentsberry Haggs mine complex today is only via the
Wellgill Cross Vein from Brownley Hill mine, and the Wellhope Shaft. The horse
level is blocked some 100m in from the portal.
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