Haigh Sough mine drainage portal, 310m west of Park House

Reasons for Designation

Adits, also known as levels, are a prominent type of field monument produced by the surface workings of underground mining. Most adits are rock-cut, but sometimes possess built portals or arched entrances. They take the form of horizontal tunnels excavated into a hillside to give entrance to a mine for access to working surfaces, haulage of mined material, and/or drainage. Occasionally, drainage adits were developed at coal mines in order to provide access for coal transportation using tub-boats and the visible site feature is that of the entrance or boat-level. Deep, horizontal drainage adits, known as soughs, were often used solely for drainage (and sometimes exploration) and generally have their own distinct identity and history, being particularly characteristic of the Derbyshire lead orefield where topography favoured such a method. Soughs date from the 17th century onwards and were often driven and operated by a separate company, usually serving a number of lead mines. A sample of the better preserved adits, illustrating the regional and chronological range of this nationally common class of monument, is considered to merit protection.

The brick lined mine drainage adit at Haigh Sough is one of the oldest surviving examples of modern mine engineering. The monument survives well with most of its original features intact. The drain entrance and the brick lined tunnel back into the coal mine will provide historians with much valuable information about the ingenuity of early mine engineers and the enterprising nature of early 17th century coal mine owners.

Details

The monument includes a brick and stone built portal and part of a brick lined culvert which drains water from a coal mine into the Yellow Brook as it runs through Bottling Wood. The brick arched drainage adit was driven into a coal mine in 1653 by the mine owner, Sir Roger Brandshaigh, and was completed in 1670. The mine was subsequently extended and improved in the 19th century. The underground drainage system extends back towards the east for 936m to Parr Pit. Only the portal and 2m of the brick arched entrance to the drain, however, are included in the scheduling. The entrance is formed by two brick pillars supporting a large concrete slab, framing the brick archway of the drain where it exits into the Yellow Brook. The pillars stand 0.8m high from the bed of the stream and the slab measures 1.4m long by 0.2m deep and about 1m broad. The brick arch for the drain springs from a level floor 5m wide and stands 0.7m high. The north bank of the brook is revetted with rough stone walling for 1m on the west side of the entrance and 5m on the east side. A steel grille has been fitted across the entrance to prevent intrusion.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

32568

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
GMSMR, (1989)

End of official list entry

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