Aysdalegate Ironstone Mine
The shaft at Aysdalegate was sunk some time around 1868, with the mine operating until 1880. A branch of the railway ran in front of the buildings to allow loading.
The mine buildings have since been converted into residental houses, although the small central window in the last house shows this was once a winding house.
A capped shaft acts as roundabout in front of the winding house.
December 30th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Up until fairly recently, the history of ironstone mining in this area was shown in great detail at the Margrove Park centre. However I believe the displays have now been changed. There are still leaflets and books available however.
December 30th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
The railway line linking this site to the main line (somewhere near South Skelton mine) can be traced across the fields.
June 29th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
I was just five years old when the trucks arrived and knocked down the high walls to the circular walls to the vent shaft that now loos like a roundabout. Gosh thats 40 years ago….
I lived in No. 9 Aysdale Gate, one of my bedrooms faced the shaft. I watched the council knock the walls down, the bricks falling inside and wow was it deep, it took for ages to hear the bricks reach the bottom.
I remember we jumped and throw stones and branches over the top, after they put plywood and steel mesh and then mixed concrete and covered the hole. It was a long time before any of us were brave to walk across it in fear that it may collapse and we would fall inside. Has it ever been renovated and or restored?
There are a few more in the mines just a few fields in front of the Aysdale Gate Farm.
I have a picture somewhere of the shaft before it was knocked down.
Interesting yes!