Found a large crack in Cawdor quarry hidden at the top and drops down and may possibly go further on covered by a tin roof hidden has anyone seen of heard of this before

Have a picture but don't know how to upload to the site

Where is this please? Llandovery? Cawdor had big estates in mid Wales.

It's in the Peak...

Mike

In Derbyshire Matlock near Sainsbury

Is it on a vein? There was a sough used to exit at the base of that quarry - can't remember what it was called off the topo of my head, but it's in Jim R's Vol. 3 on drainage.

rob87 said:

Have a picture but don't know how to upload to the site

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If you click "Attachments and other options" below the text box where you type a reply, you should be able to upload an image (providing it's <1 MB)

The sough does still discharge into the river AFAIK though whether it's still accessible I don't know, though I do know it was explored before Sainsburys was built and it was discussed on Aditnow some years back. Historytrog is the leading authority on the mines around Matlock.

I have tried to up load the picture but it is too big don't know why and it's on way up following the road up before you hit hall dale quarry and runs parallel with the quarry edge very hard to find but a good 5to 7 meter drop and runs back under road back to Matlock spa road and the other way face's towards Matlock was covered with old iron just unsure if it could be anything I will check and take another picture soon

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There were various workings in the quarry face on the outcrop of Seven Rakes Vein. In the 1950s, the quarry owners had a little go there to get a bit of fluorspar. The old lead workings on those veins were very large - Doug Nash and Op Mole provided an account of them.

That could explain the tin roof but from the top there seems to be no evidence of any drill marks or working I will have another look and take a better picture and was very dry in there unlike the ones at the base thanks for the information everyone I will update when I explore it more

AR said:

The sough does still discharge into the river AFAIK though whether it's still accessible I don't know

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Cawdor Level is still open (a very small opening) in the bank of the Derwent. However, it is very dry and doesn't look as if it has discharged any water in a long time. Lynn Willies and, I think, Alan Mutter, looked at it some years ago and Lynn wrote it up in PDHMS Newsletter - he did crawl in for a short way but, wisely I think, didn't go far. There is a dislodged block hanging down into what is a crawling size passage anyway and I wouldn't like to nudge that on crawling beneath it! I've been trying for a long time to summon up courage to crawl in there but haven't managed it so far! See photo.

I have been done Cawdor level there is a opening in the floor filled with water and is blocked not far after and in heavy rain water dose flow out of the entrance and the picture that I put is on top of the quarry it's near the edge hard to find but the level is low crawl and has massive spider's in it the hole was part filled with Cristal clear water and think blocked somewhere under the road after a crawl over the hole the picture is near Matlockspa road  before halldale quarry 

Rob87 you have pm

I'm quite intrigued by the location of the tin sheet entrance as I've spent a lot of time in the quarry. Whereabouts in the quarry is it if you don't mind sharing.

The sough entrance just by the railway bridge is Oxclose Sough (not the original one). It is completely collapsed at a shallow depth below the quarry floor and blocked with well flowstoned boulders not far from the entrance. There is a very good flow of water at times (most of which comes around the choke through the wall and sometimes the roof) although I suspect much of it comes from the quarry rather than the mine itself.

Plans of Oxclose Sough suggest it went approx. SSW into what is now Hall Dale Quarry and also drained snickers vein here but later investigations by Operation Mole suggest it only just passed under the Matlock/Snitterton road before turning West and crossing the Veins towards Oxclose Mine.

I have never managed to find the Cawder Level which I presume was a pumpway for the Engine on Severn Rakes mine near where Sainsbury's was build. There was an arched level on the other side of the river which presumable drained the extension of Severn Rakes in that direction but I was only able to follow this for a short distance due to heavy deposits of ochre deposits. This is no longer accessible unless you are small enough to fit through the tiny flap valve fitted during the flood prevention work carried out in the late 1970's.

There is some phreatic development on the rocky knoll that survives part way up the new road but this has been truncated by quarrying both up and down dip. This is the only real sign of cave development I have found in the quarry apart from the tiny tube that resurges by the filling station in wet weather.

Please keep us updated with your finds. You might tempt me out if it's not too difficult but unfortunately my superhero mine explorer/caver days are a thing of the past.

Regards

Julie

It is quite hard to find and you keep eyes out can be slippery and alot of thorn bushes and close to edge opposite halldale quarry were the wall is jump over it and go forward to near the edge and you turn right and there's a dip with a barral in follow it through and over and follow the edge round through the spike bushes trees and it slopes towards it hard to find but be careful on approach as it dips into the scar and you will see it

If anyone interested in being shown were it is I will be going today and will wait near the entrance to halldale quarry up Matlock spar road from 2.50 today until 3.10

This reminds me of wandering along a footpath, Matlock heading towards Oker and seeing a steel plate on the ground next to the path. My thoughts at the time were that no-one leaves a big piece of metal laying around and it must cover a shaft. Next to the path behind the quarries? Sorry not to be more helpful but I am wondering just what is in that area?