Kirkby Stephen tunnels

[Pitlamp]

Underneath the small Cumbrian town of Kirkby Stephen there is a system of artificial tunnels cut through the "Brockram" rock. (I once dived in a flooded shaft there, at the request of the local history group.) The purpose of these tunnels seems to be surrounded in mystery but there are tales of them going to exits down by the River Eden.

Does anyone know of the existence of any surveys of these tunnels? (The obvious source - Moldywarps Journals - doesn't seem to have anything.)

 

[mikem]

I guess you haven't found much more info on them since your 2010 request on here? (Seems the "in search of tunnels" article on town website has been removed)

This Dissertation suggests that iron is found in the brockram (& other websites say the rock was used for local buildings):

Looking for something on Hydra? | University of Hull

Looking for something on hydra.hull.ac.uk?

hydra.hull.ac.uk

& From 1924, on the other side - "For many years the breccia of Western Cumberland has been known locally as “ The Conglomerate ”, under which name it figures largely in hundreds of records of borings put down in search of haematite or coal."

On the West Cumberland Brockram and its Associated Rocks | Geological Magazine | Cambridge Core

On the West Cumberland Brockram and its Associated Rocks - Volume 61 Issue 7

www.cambridge.org

 

[Pitlamp]

Thanks Mike - yes, the relevant page seems to have been taken down since I last posted about these tunnels.

It's merely surveys I'm interested in trying to source. I suspect that none exists - but it'd be great if someone could prove me wrong.

 

[langcliffe]

"For many years the breccia of Western Cumberland has been known locally as “ The Conglomerate ”, under which name it figures largely in hundreds of records of borings put down in search of haematite or coal."

I think that it's wadi deposits laid down in the Permian. It can be found in the vicinity of dune deposits. Cracking for climbing - big firmly-embedded cobbles. I remember finding lumps of whin sill in one outcrop.