New book The Castleton Mines a Descriptive and Visual History

moorebooks

Active member
Hot off the press today cost ?25.00 available from www.moorebooks.co.uk and usual outlets.

Authors Jim Rieuwerts and P Wolstenholme, Sb, 240 x 210, 133pp

Mainly colour photographs, with historic paintings and early Black and White Photos. Photography by Philip Wolstenholme, supplemented with photos provided from Steve and the late Pauk Deakin. The book is well presented and the index at the front lists the mines featured the one thing missing are specific grid references although from the maps and plans finding the mines shouldn't present a problem. Jim as ever provides the historical content with Phillip providing Colour photos of the present underground. Clearly the link between Caves and Mines is identified with the soughs entering cave systems.

Mike
 

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Pitlamp

Well-known member
Ordered my copy as soon as I knew it was coming out. Really looking forward to this one!  ;)
 

moorebooks

Active member
moorebooks said:
Hot off the press today cost ?25.00 available from www.moorebooks.co.uk and usual outlets.

Authors Jim Rieuwerts and P Wolstenholme, Sb, 240 x 210, 133pp

Mainly colour photographs, with historic paintings and early Black and White Photos. Photography by Philip Wolstenholme, supplemented with photos provided from Steve and the late Pauk Deakin. The book is well presented and the index at the front lists the mines featured the one thing missing are specific grid references although from the maps and plans finding the mines shouldn't present a problem. Jim as ever provides the historical content with Phillip providing Colour photos of the present underground. Clearly the link between Caves and Mines is identified with the soughs entering cave systems.

Mike

The book has been supplied directly to me via Dr Jim Rieuwerts my post and packing charge is ?2.70.

For the record I pay for the banner on this page and have not promoted other outlets where it may be purchased for obvious reasons

Mike
 

SamT

Moderator
Really been enjoying dipping into this since I picked up my copy last night, cant wait to settle down and read it in more depth.

Great work Phil,  (y) you should be proud of what you've achieved.  :bow:
 

pwhole

Well-known member
Thanks Sam - it's very much a labour of love these days, but we've tried at least.

One thing I'm particularly pleased about is that the Speedwell workings have finally got some exposure - some of the stuff hidden in there is fascinating, and the lengths the miners went to try and 'tame', or at least manage the underground water system, and their ability to negotiate vast natural caverns is stunning, especially when you consider the lengths of the stemples in Leviathan. I'm still trying to work out just how they hammered those into place!

We also made a conscious decision very early on to try and make this more accessible to the lay reader - i.e. one without a specific interest in mining history, or even underground, but who might have an interest in the local history, and be drawn in a little more than usual by more pictures, explanations and examples of previous exploration - and which hopefully then helps the environment we work in appear interesting and exciting rather than threatening or grotty.

It would be nice if the impetus from the Speedwell symposium we held last year, and this book, could translate into something even more significant - like the 'Big Book of the Peak-Speedwell System' Between everyone, past and present, there must be a huge amount of material that could be compiled into one fat volume, and quite a few of us are getting more experienced at putting work into print now. I know it's 'another project', but it beats watching TV...
 

droid

Active member
A 'Speedwell/PeaK' book would be fascinating, especially if it included feeders.

Trying to understand the speleogenesis and history from the myriad of separate sources is difficult, be good to get it all from one volume....
 

bograt

Active member
droid said:
A 'Speedwell/PeaK' book would be fascinating, especially if it included feeders.

Trying to understand the speleogenesis and history from the myriad of separate sources is difficult, be good to get it all from one volume....

Be happy to contribute my 5 pennorth from the late '70's, early '80's, including pre-Windtunnel breakthrough pics.....
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Just a quick thank you to Mr. Starless River who has very kindly transported my copy twixt Peak and Dales today.

Also a thank you to the other person who was expecting to do this (you know who you are). Finally, advance thanks to yet another person who will be delivering it to me at work tomorrow. (I hope the boss doesn't expect me to be very productive once I've got my hands on the book!)

"Caver post" can be incredibly efficient.
 

moorebooks

Active member
moorebooks said:
Hot off the press today cost ?25.00 available from www.moorebooks.co.uk and usual outlets.

Authors Jim Rieuwerts and P Wolstenholme, Sb, 240 x 210, 133pp

Mainly colour photographs, with historic paintings and early Black and White Photos. Photography by Philip Wolstenholme, supplemented with photos provided from Steve and the late Pauk Deakin. The book is well presented and the index at the front lists the mines featured the one thing missing are specific grid references although from the maps and plans finding the mines shouldn't present a problem. Jim as ever provides the historical content with Phillip providing Colour photos of the present underground. Clearly the link between Caves and Mines is identified with the soughs entering cave systems.

Mike

An excellent review in the latest descent

Mike
 
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