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Re: browns folly connection to monkton farleigh

Markie87

New member
Hi
Does anyone know if its still possible to access monkton farleigh districts 19/20 via browns folly mine? I heard they put a steel plate at the end of grahams grovel but it may have been removed by now by someone eager to get through to the other side. Also if there is no access via browns folly are there any other ways to get into the parts of monkton farleigh mine that are not used by wansdyke? Cheers
 

Brains

Well-known member
19 and 20 districts are now in use by Restore, successors to Wansdyke. the access via GG has been well sealed, as has the whistling tin triangle following a high profile break in recently during a party. Avon Wildlife Trust are now more aware of the numerous break ins to Browns through their bat gates owing to concerns about this nationally important roost, and are re-welding the bars as soon as possible. The only fully open and accessible entrance is through Muddy Hole, but there is another rift that has opened to surface allowing entry via a climb. Surveys are available from the usual suspects and the Quarrymans Arms in Box. AFAIK the geocaches are all still accessible.
Hope that helps!
 

Markie87

New member
thanks Brains. i thought district 19 might be in use now, maybe just for better ventilation or something because i went there recently and the air shaft next to the little farm building has the fan on inside but i wasnt sure if they would bother using 20 as its probably quite a wreck inside. do you think they are actually using districts 19 and 20 or maybe theyre just keeping it all closed up for their own security?
 

Brains

Well-known member
In use for storage, as shown by the photos that the people that broke in were happy enough to post on line after the event!
 

wildside

New member
The caretaker has got his own locks on the gate of shakespears and  has made the steel door inaccessible he has also built some huge walls so if you do go into browns folly for a look about do not rely on the survey as it is now incorrect in some parts of the quarry
 

Markie87

New member
seriously? that is ridiculous. whats the point in trying to confuse people? do they think it belongs to them? they have no right to do anything like that down there. its just wrong. i bet they claim its because of the bats too and to stop vandals even though the majority of people do not cause damage or leave litter...but i guess its just so they can have it all to themselves and now he thinks "im the gatekeeper, master of the underground"
 

royfellows

Well-known member
There are two sides and I do not side with either.
People have gone in there and done their best to trash the place, spray paint, rubbish, poo the lot.
It has a history of this.

Go past the stables and there is a horse drinking trough, there used to be a fish fountain there and in the 1990s someone deliberately destroyed it.
If I had caught them doing it I would have slotted them and just walked away.



 

Markie87

New member
building random walls down there is even worse than a bit of rubbish or damage, he should just leave the place alone and find something better to do with his time, doing that is altering the place completely and making it pointless using the map of browns folly you can buy in the quarrymans (which i actually think are a bit of a rip off)....hes selfish and obviously must know people come from all over the country to explore underground there. so he acts like he owns the place and they have to have his permission? the majority do it as a hobby and are not vandals but he is suspicious of everyone who wants to go there.
 

Brains

Well-known member
Muddy Hole is wide open, all other entrances are maintained by AWT, and they dont allow access via iron door or any other entrance.
Sounds like you already know all this, so begs the question, why ask?
 

royfellows

Well-known member
My advice to anyone visiting BF is to stay well away from Monkton Farleigh, don't get involved in any disputes, and just enjoy the place. At least its kept clean and tidy.

If you want to see something of MF the railway siding conveyor passage was still open last time I was down, the entrance bit is an interesting example of 'cretin art'.
 

Markie87

New member
yea maybe i did know already about muddy hole ect.....but what i didnt know and what i originally asked was does anyone know if its still possible to get into monkton farleigh through browns folly in any way because last time i peeked into a hole into district 20 it seemed far from used, it was dark, cold, damp not very long ago and probably not suitable for restore which makes me think restore have just blocked off every entrance above ground whether they use that area or not for their security to minimize the risk of anyone breaking into their place and maybe they never intend on actually using 19/20 at all...any thoughts on that?
 

Brains

Well-known member
As i said earlier. 19 and 20 are now in use and secure, patrolled and PIR'd. B&E will get the expected response from security and plod
 

Bartleby

New member
Popped up to Browns Folly last night and bumped into lots of police........was asked if i was going to rave?!.  A friendly bunch, who once they realised i wasnt going to crack out the glow sticks were alot happier!.  Also heard that manure has been deployed  :( :(
 

wildside

New member
A trip to browns folly this evening revealed some massive walls have been built by brian and co and the place is clinically clean with lots of the original miners graffiti gone. ok its easy to walk about but the charisma of the place has gone and it would be very difficult to get somebody out if they had an accident in there.
 

Bartleby

New member
As i've said before i fully support the picking up of litter and keeping the place tidy but......

Wildfire is right, it has no charisma.  Its all too clean.  The floor looks to have brush marks from where its been swept.  Not going to comment on the walls o_O o_O

 

popeass1

New member
So rubbish and spraypaint give a place charisma? Post a list of your favorite caves and I'll pop around and give them a charismatic new look, what's your favourite colour of spray paint?! I've never read so much nonsense. As for the cleaning off of historic quarrymans graffiti, I seriously doubt it, unless it had blue spray painted obscenities all over it, in which case it's pretty much ruined already!
 

Brains

Well-known member
popeass1 said:
So rubbish and spraypaint give a place charisma? Post a list of your favorite caves and I'll pop around and give them a charismatic new look, what's your favourite colour of spray paint?! I've never read so much nonsense. As for the cleaning off of historic quarrymans graffiti, I seriously doubt it, unless it had blue spray painted obscenities all over it, in which case it's pretty much ruined already!
Well said, significant effort has been made to retain original markings where possible, but when whole areas are sprayed - as was the ferret cage not so long ago, there is little that can be salvaged :(
 
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