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and in the neighbourhood of Hathersage, where by long working, a very superior part of the stratum has been discovered. In truth, fine blocks of this rock, of every size that can be required, are so plentifully met with, loose and above ground, that there are few excavations which deserve the name of a quarry, except at Hathersage. The millstones made at Old Booth Edge are from 2 feet 3 inches diameter and 8 inches in thickness, to 5 feet 7 inches diameter and 17 inches in thickness. These stones vary in price from eight pounds to sixteen and twenty pounds per pair. Stones little inferior to those made at Old Booth Edge are also made at Alderwasley, Bamford-edge, Curbar and Eyam; also, at Harston in Matlock, at Kinder-scout, east of Hayfield, and at Lea in Ashover. There are found in the beds of grit rock, strata of a light red colour which are perfectly infusible, and form excellent fire stone. The best are those which are obtained in Roches quarry at Ashover; but good firestones are met with in other parts of the county.

This stratum, as being the lowest grit rock, is very important in a geological point of view. Its basset-edge can be traced with facility through the county. This commences at Little Eaton, and proceeds past Duffieldbank, and crosses the Derwent at Milford. It is then to be traced to the Chevin hills, the stone houses near Cromford, Watstanwell-bridge, and Toadmoor-bridge, where it again crosses the Derwent. The following are the names of places through or near which this important basset passes. Ridgeway, then to the east of Bull-bridge, east of Fritchley, to the west of Park-lane head, the east of Plaiston green, Wakebridge, Upper Holloway, to the west of Lea, Harston hill, Riber hill, Tansley, Lumsdale, Matlockbank, Over Hackney, Toadhole mills, Stonecliff, Little Rowsley, Fallange, to the east of Beeley hill top, and Chatsworth house, then to the west of the Robin Hood in Baslow, on both sides of Barbrook dale, to the east of Curbar, Froggat, Toadhole, Nether Padley; on both sides of Burbadge dale, to the east of Upper Padley, Booth, Upper Burbadge bridge, to the north of Hathersage, Cupola, Stanage; to the north-east of Bamford, to the east of Derwent chapel, Lost Lad hill, High stones, Crowstones, Horse stones, Dean Head stones, Barrow stones, Grinah stones, Blakelow stones, Wain stones, Shelf stones,* Glossop low, Glead hill; to the east of Carmeadow, Whimbury knots, South Head Tor; to the south of Chinley head and churn, to the west of Chapel-en-le-Frith, Tunstead lane, Thorney ley, Thatch marsh, and the north and south Axe-edge hills, where the gritstone basset leaves this county and enters Staffordshire.

CHAP. 2.

First Grit

Rock.

or Schistus.

The great shale or schistus. This stratum is sometimes called limestone Great Shale shale: its thickness has been proved, by the shafts of the lead mines, in the limestone beneath it, to be from 150 to 170 yards, consisting sometimes of black or brown shale in very thin laminæ. This stratum is subject to great and curious anomalies, the first and most general of which are accidental beds of fine-grained silicious freestone, very full of mica in minute plates, and stained with various concentric rings of different shapes and shades of yellow and red. Of this very beautiful and perfect freestone, Chatsworth house, Buxton crescent, and the Moot hall at Wirksworth

See the Great Alpine Ridge, page 6.

CHAP. 2. are built.* At Stoney Lee near Yolgrave, there is a cliff of coarse shale, Great Shale that might be mistaken for gritstone rock, and similar characteristics in or Schistus. this stratum are discernible at Hartle moor and Kirk Ireton. The shale limestone appears occasionally in this stratum, in large masses of a blue and sometimes of a deep black tint. The celebrated black marble quarries belong to this formation. Ironstonet is found in considerable beds in the limestone shale, and some large balls of it may be seen in the front of the slips which have happened in Mam-Tor, Castleton; at the White Tor, Lea; near Cromford and other places.-In several places, bassets of thin accidental coal measures are sometimes perceptible, which have too frequently induced expensive trials by boring and sinking, but which have always terminated in disappointment. Several ochrey and chalybeate springs issue from the great shale, and sulphur, in small quantities, is found in its cavities.

Mineral

Limestone.

The extent of surface, occupied by the gritstone rock and the great shale in this county, has been computed by Mr. Farey to contain about 160,500

acres.

Mineral limestone and toadstone strata. These most important strata are six in number. Three of them are limestone rocks, and three are basaltics beds or strata, denominated in Derbyshire, toadstone. The first limestone, the uppermost of the series, bassets regularly from under the shale, all the way from Ranter mine, N NE of Wirksworth, south, to near Quarters house, N NW of Great Hucklow, north. This basset runs in an irregular line, through Cromford, Matlock, Snitterton, Wensley, Winster, Elton, Middleton by Yolgrave, Yolgrave, Alport, Stanton in the Peak, Haddon hall, Bakewell, Rowsdale, Sheldon, Ashford, Little and Great

* "Bakewell church is built of this stone from Bakewell edge, from whence the fronts of Chatsworth house were built, and the principal part of the crescent at Buxton; though the same stratum bassets out on the spot, a circumstance at that time not known." White Watson's Delineation, page 27.

"Nodules of ironstone, called shale binds, also occur stratified, some of which contain septariæ of carbonate of iron, which are hollow and contain liquid petroleum (also called Barbadoes tar, and is used by the miners for fresh wounds, and as a substitute for candles) and asphaltum, with crystals of sulphate of baryte, carbonate of lime, sulphate of lime, sulphuret of iron, &c. Other nodules are formed in concentric lamina and called geodes, and others are botryoidal balls of calciform iron ore. Black asphaltum sometimes occurs of very compact texture and shining fracture in thin beds." Ibid.

From a spring in this stratum, the town of Bakewell takes its rise and name.

§ "Imbedded interstratified basalt or trap is sometimes found alternating with rock of undoubted marine origin. In Derbyshire there are three beds of basaltic amygdaloid separated by thick beds of transition limestone. Mr. Westgarth Foster has described an enormous bed of basalt in Northumberland and Durham, called the great Whinstone-sill, placed between regular strata of limestone and gritstone; this bed varies in thickness from 12 to 60 yards. Other instances might be cited of basaltic beds interposed between regular strata, but frequently the strata are broken and disturbed in the vicinity of the basaltic beds. ..................

The beds of Derbyshire toadstone, and the great Whinstone-sill in Northumberland and Durham, may have been formed by repeated eruptions of lava over the bed of the ocean; or, what is less probable, they may have been intruded long after the formation of the strata, with which they are at present associated................It has been generally believed, that the veins of lead ore in Derbyshire, which pass through the beds of limestone, are entirely cut off by the toadstone; and if this could be proved, it would favour the opinion, that the beds of toadstone had been intruded between the beds of limestone, after the formation of the metallic veins. In some instances, however, the veins of lead ore do pass into the toadstone and are rich in ore. It is now even doubted whether all the veins do not pass through the beds of toadstone, though they become very narrow, or yield no ore when in the latter rock. The information which I could collect from the most intelligent miners, when I was last in that county, still leaves the question undecided." Bakewell's Geology, Chap. IX.

Longsdon, Hassop, Calver, Stoney-Middleton, Eyam and Foolow. The CHAP. 2. remaining part of this boundary is to be traced along the great limestone Mineral fault.

On the western boundary of these strata may be seen the basset-edge of the third or lowest toadstone, with the fourth lime rock rising from under it: indeed, each of the three limestone rocks has its regular but crooked range and basset-edge from south to north. The first limestone may be traced from Wirksworth to the north of Great Hucklow, abutting at each end against the great limestone fault. The second from Middleton wood near Wirksworth, and the third from between Wirksworth and Hopton to Hucklow and Castleton. The toadstone strata may be found in nearly the same range. Many points in this range may be traced by referring to the list of hills and valleys given at pages 6 and 11, and in the list of lead mines. The phenomena of isolated patches of these strata, detached from the range or basset of them, are to be attributed to two distinct causes. These isolated patches may be either remaining portions of strata which have been partially carried away, or they may be denuded portions of the under strata.

In the strata now under consideration, and occasionally but very seldom, in the strata immediately above or below them, there are found great numbers of mineral veins.

Limestone.

Veins of lead ore are distinguished on account of their various positions Veins of in the earth, by the different names of pipe, rake, and flat works. Pipe- Lead Ore. works lie between two rocks, or strata, yet seldom follow any regular inclination, but fill up fissures, the lines or branches running parallel to each other, and more or less horizontally. The branches have a general connexion or communication by means of fine slender threads, or leadings, as the miners term them. The rock which forms the roofs and soles of these veins, is sometimes pierced through by the leadings, which frequently conduct to a fresh range. These works are always attended with a considerable portion of clay; and when the branches of the vein become imperceptible, the clay is often followed as a sure guide to new veins. The principal pipe veins are Yate Stoop, near Winster; Hubberdale, near Monyash; Watergrove, Millermine, Lanehead, at Castleton, and Bacchus or Crich cliff. The veins are sometimes twenty or thirty yards wide, and sometimes not more than two inches: they most commonly have toadstone in the vicinity, either above or below.

Rake, or perpendicular veins, are found in the clefts and chasms of the Rake. limestone; and consequently, instead of extending uniformly between the same strata, they follow the direction of the cavities, and sometimes penetrate 150 or 200 yards into the earth. "Near Castleton, they generally run from east to west, and are traced, or discovered, from the surface. They are not exactly perpendicular, but hade, or incline about one foot in ten; sometimes to the north, and sometimes to the south. There are veins that have a more northerly or southerly direction, and are then called cross Beins: sometimes they intersect each other, and where they unite, they are generally very rich. Small veins, usually called strings, or scrins, often extend from the rake, and take various directions: all are worked as long as they are found profitable, and the intermediate substances that divide

F

Rake.

CHAP. 2. them are called rythers. When the veins are separated, which is sometimes the case, by clay, bind, or toadstone, they are observed, where the lower parts are again discovered, to be thrown on one side, according to the hade of the vein, and are thence said to leap. The principal rake veins are in the neighbourhood of Castleton, Wirksworth, Cromford, Matlock, Winster, and a few other places."

Flat-works.

Hillcarr
Sough.

Cromford
Sough.

The Flat-works bear a great resemblance to the pipe; yet disagree in some circumstances. The principal leader, or stem, in the pipe, is accompanied with many branches, but the flat has none; the latter spreads wider, yet seldom extends more than 100 yards. It is also found near the surface, and in the solid rock. The miners are divided in opinion, whether the pipe or the rake veins are most prevalent.

The greatest impediment to working the mines are foul air, and water. To relieve them from the first, a pipe or tube is generally introduced down the shaft, and extended along the roof of the gallery to the place where the work is carried on. To remove the water, many adits, or, as they are here termed, soughs, have been driven from the bottom of some neighbouring valley, and made to communicate with various works by different channels, or galleries. The longest adit in Derbyshire is at Yolgrave, running from the Derwent to Alport, and called the Hillcarr sough. This cost upwards of £50,000. It relieves a considerable number of mines, and is nearly four miles in length. Another, and one of the most considerable, at Wirksworth, is called Cromford sough. This is full two miles in length, and was driven at an expense of £30,000. The proprietors receive a certain proportion of lead ore from the mines; though the latter are now beneath the level, and of course but ineffectually drained by it. The relieving of the mines at Wirksworth by this adit, is, indeed, at this period, only a secondary object; as the water delivered by it at Cromford has proved of amazing value. The late Sir R. Arkwright employed the stream to work his cotton mill; and it is still applied to a similar purpose, having the great advantage of not being liable either to considerable increase or diminution. It is also afterwards used for the supply of the Cromford canal, to which it has been of great service, as the water, from its warm temperature, checks the power of the frost, and renders the canal navigable when others are fast bound. Another sough, driven from the level of the Derwent, at a very great expense, is called Wirksworth Moor sough: it lies to the east Moor Sough of that town, and is nearly three miles in length. It has been observed, that a low level in the limestone drains a large tract of country, all the waters falling into it for a considerable distance.

Wirksworth

Rights of
Miners in the
King's-field.

The regulations respecting the rights of miners, and the dues payable for the ore, in different parts of the mining district, are numerous and varicus. The principal tract containing lead is called the King's-field: under this denomination the whole wapentake of Wirksworth is comprised, as well as part of the High Peak. The mineral duties of King's-field have been from time immemorial let on lease: the present farmer of those in the High Peak is the Duke of Devonshire; and of those in the wapentake of Wirksworth, Richard Arkwright, esq. They have each a steward and barinaster, and deputy-barmasters in the districts they hold of the crown. The steward presides as judge in the Barmote courts, and, with twenty

four jurymen, determines all disputes that may arise from the working of CHAP. 2. mines. The courts are held twice a year; those of the High Peak, at Rights of Monyash; and those of the wapentake, at Wirksworth.* The principal Miners. duty of the barmaster is putting miners in possession of the veins they have discovered, and collecting the proportions of ore due to the lessees of the crown just named. When a miner has found a new vein of ore in the King's-field, provided it be not in an orchard, garden, highroad, or churchyard, he may obtain an exclusive title to it, on application to the barmaster. The method of giving possession, is, in the presence of two jurymen, marking out in a pipe, or rake-work, two meers of ground, each containing twenty-nine yards; and in a flat work, fourteen yards square. If a miner, however, neglects to avail himself of his discovery beyond a limited time, he may be deprived of the vein of which he has received possession, and the barmaster may dispose of it to another adventurer. The other parts of the barmaster's office is to superintend the measurement of the ore, and receive the dues of the lessee of the crown. In general, a thirteenth of the ore is the due in the King's-field; but the proportion taken is seldom more than a twenty-fifth. There is also a due for tithe;† and another, called cope; but the latter is paid by the buyer of the ore. The dish, or hoppet,

• The following list of the Lessees of mineral duties in the wapentake of Wirksworth will be interesting Lessees of to many readers.

Temp. 8th Edw. IV. Richard Earl of Warwick, John Earl of Northumberland, and others,

Mineral
Duties.

[blocks in formation]

Geo. III.

Richard Arkwright, esq. in 1809 or about 1810, purchased the remainder
of Roll's Lease, and has since got it renewed.

The Devonshire family have long been lessees of the mines in the hun-
dred of High Peak.

†By an agreement made August 10, 1778, between the Rev. Richard Tillard, Vicar of Wirksworth, and the proprietors of the mines within that parish, it appears that the Vicar consented to take "one fortieth part of all ore to be got and raised within the said parish in full of his tithe ore, reserving nevertheless to the said Richard Tillard, the tenth dish of ore on every new freeing."

In the time of James I. the Vicar of Wirksworth was decreed to be entitled to every tenth dish, on paying a penny to the miners for dressing it, which continued to be the uninterrupted custom until the 18th of James I. when it was denied. But was confirmed by decree in Chancery, Michaelmas term, 20th of James I. after two trials at bar in common pleas, hearing before privy council, &c.

John Gell, esq. of Hopton, laid also a decree against miners in the parishes of Bakewell, Tideswell, and Hope, for custom tithe, which was confirmed May 27, in the 3rd of Charles I.

In the 21st of James I. Feb. 19, the Derbyshire miners proposed a bill in parliament to abolish tithe of lead ore in that county, which bill was twice read, committed, and reported, but on May 12th following it was thrown out of the house of commons.

The Wirksworth miners submitted to a decree of the 20th of James I. for five years, and then questioned it. Whereon by consent, and to conclude all suits, &c. the Rev. Richard Carryer, Vicar of Wirksworth, in the 4th of Charles I. exhibited another bill, which was to include and conclude all the miners then and thereafter to be when after answer and rejoinder.

Issue joined. -Witnesses examined in the country, &c. &c. Lord Keeper, Sir Thomas Coventry, on Saturday, July 4, in the 5th of Charles I. decreed in favour of the said Vicar, as to the tenth dish, and the custom of 1d. a dish, &c. but as he thought it too little, he did take further consideration thereof, and yet without prejudice to the Vicar or custom, &c.

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