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. Note: in 2009
the fall near the portal was cleared by our group, and the mine is accessible
now via the portal.
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Surface
Features
Surface Features around Nentsberry Haggs
Mine.
Updated 25th May 2008. |
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Adit
Entrance and Collapse
A quick trip to see the adit end of the
collapse.
(Karli, Mike and Pete), 26th April 2008. |
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Admiralty
Flats via Brownley Hill
Our first trip into Haggs, visiting the
famous flats and the High Raise Vein.
(Karli, Mike and Pete), 26th
April 2008. |
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Adit Collapse
Dig
Opening up the collapse just inside the level.
(Karl,
Karli, Ian, Mike, Pete, Dog Pete, and Student Pete), 25th May 2008 - 23rd May
2009. |
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Nentsberry Haggs Vein
Exploring Haggs Vein and its correlation with
old plans.
(Karli and Mike), 19th December 2014. |
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High Raise Vein Workings
Looking at the old High Raise Vein workings
above the horse level.
(Karli, Mike and Pete), 21st February
2015. |
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