Found a big cavern under slab but not sure where to find surveys
- Thread starter StoneyGraham
- Start date
StoneyGraham
New member
Ive just been out with a box full of 100m tapes and a prodding stick and found the entrance shaft. Based on the location Shepherd's mine is not the cave i found. however given its Sheperds mine seems to be semi-lost at the moment might be interesting expedition if anyone is interested?
Mark
Well-known member
Johns diary entries for Shepherds Mine
Friday 8th April 1977.
Mark came out, and we went to look at a mined cave in Coombs Dale, just west of Shepherds Mine, on the north side. The choke at the end proved to be a fairly impossible project, and we went away. We soon found a shaft to get excited over, filled with rock, but with quite a strong draught.
We returned to Eyam quite excited.
Saturday 9th April.
I borrowed Doug’s car, and drove up to Highfields to ask if we could dig the shaft. Permission granted, I returned to Eyam, and Nick arrived and joined us.
We lowered the shaft about six feet today, and hopes are high. The shaft is in solid rock.... makes a change!
We went to the Stags in the evening.
Sunday 10th April.
Further digging. It was fairly cold. The shaft went down fast, with the use of a bucket, to about 12ft, at which point we encountered a giant block. Having no hammers, we left it for tomorrow.
To the Stags again.
Monday 11th April, 1977
Back to the shaft with a big hammer. The rock finally yielded to Keith’s blows, and we carried on down. A rumble from beneath caused great excitement, and Mark thumped about with a big crowbar until all the fill dropped through.
We all piled off down, encouraged by Mark’s gleeful shout of "There’s a bloody great six foot square level going off!” We landed after 45ft on a rubble cone in a chamber.
Stopes, of comparatively recent date, led south to a collapsed area close to the hillside. In the other direction, the largely natural level went for a couple of hundred feet to a 15ft pitch. The base of a surface choke could be seen in the roof. The shaft was descended, but the level was choked. A good dig.
Chris returned to surface, and Johnny came down. We de-tackled and returned to Eyam at about 7pm. A big crowd arrived in the Rose.
Tuesday 12th April.
Off to Shepherds Mine to survey with Johnny Morris. The survey showed the choked shaft to be covered only right at the surface with only about two or three feet of cover.
The total length is about 300ft.
Saturday 16th April 1977.
Only Mark was out, and I went to Castleton to see Trevor. I was back by about 11am, and we set off on a beautiful morning for Shepherds Mine, catching a bus down to Stoney Middleton. We walked up to the mine, and laddered down.
We headed for the choke at the north end, and enthusiastic digging here revealed a way through. After about 30ft of poorly driven passage, we arrived at a further choke, with a strong draught. This requires an upward dig, and will require a skip.
Friday 8th April 1977.
Mark came out, and we went to look at a mined cave in Coombs Dale, just west of Shepherds Mine, on the north side. The choke at the end proved to be a fairly impossible project, and we went away. We soon found a shaft to get excited over, filled with rock, but with quite a strong draught.
We returned to Eyam quite excited.
Saturday 9th April.
I borrowed Doug’s car, and drove up to Highfields to ask if we could dig the shaft. Permission granted, I returned to Eyam, and Nick arrived and joined us.
We lowered the shaft about six feet today, and hopes are high. The shaft is in solid rock.... makes a change!
We went to the Stags in the evening.
Sunday 10th April.
Further digging. It was fairly cold. The shaft went down fast, with the use of a bucket, to about 12ft, at which point we encountered a giant block. Having no hammers, we left it for tomorrow.
To the Stags again.
Monday 11th April, 1977
Back to the shaft with a big hammer. The rock finally yielded to Keith’s blows, and we carried on down. A rumble from beneath caused great excitement, and Mark thumped about with a big crowbar until all the fill dropped through.
We all piled off down, encouraged by Mark’s gleeful shout of "There’s a bloody great six foot square level going off!” We landed after 45ft on a rubble cone in a chamber.
Stopes, of comparatively recent date, led south to a collapsed area close to the hillside. In the other direction, the largely natural level went for a couple of hundred feet to a 15ft pitch. The base of a surface choke could be seen in the roof. The shaft was descended, but the level was choked. A good dig.
Chris returned to surface, and Johnny came down. We de-tackled and returned to Eyam at about 7pm. A big crowd arrived in the Rose.
Tuesday 12th April.
Off to Shepherds Mine to survey with Johnny Morris. The survey showed the choked shaft to be covered only right at the surface with only about two or three feet of cover.
The total length is about 300ft.
Saturday 16th April 1977.
Only Mark was out, and I went to Castleton to see Trevor. I was back by about 11am, and we set off on a beautiful morning for Shepherds Mine, catching a bus down to Stoney Middleton. We walked up to the mine, and laddered down.
We headed for the choke at the north end, and enthusiastic digging here revealed a way through. After about 30ft of poorly driven passage, we arrived at a further choke, with a strong draught. This requires an upward dig, and will require a skip.
StoneyGraham
New member
