Pearl Mine

Pearl Mine is an 18th Century Lead Mine on Sandford Hill. The entrance is via a shaft which enters a network of passages leading to a series of deep shafts. At the bottom of one of these shafts a short crawl leads into a large natural chamber, which in turn leads to a further series of natural passages. The mine was lost for many years, with the entrance shaft having been filled in. In 2016, the MCG embarked on a project to relocate and reopen this interesting mine, and in doing so, found over 500m of a previously unknown extension to the mine.

History of the Mine

The original mine is thought to date from at least the late part of the 18th Century, although there has probably been mining in this area since Roman times. The mine was worked for lead and was abandoned sometime in the mid 19th Century. The mine was rediscovered by the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society (UBSS) in the 1950’s, who explored and surveyed the mine. The entrance shaft was filled in by the landowner in the 1960’s and the location of the mine was subsequently lost.

Re-opening and Discovery

Digging commenced in 2016. After multiple sessions of hauling mud, rock and general rubbish out of the totally blocked mineshaft, the 1st landing was reached. Short passages here went away from the main shaft, but our goal was to continue down. Many more digging sessions followed until the 2nd landing was reached. Here the East and West passages described by the previous visitors were found. The West Passage ended with a small crack. It was when this crack was opened an incredible discovery was made.

The Unexpected Level

Dropping through the crack, now named Pension Pot, an open rift was entered. This turned out to be over 300m of walkable natural rift passage enlarged by the miners. This was named the Unexpected Level. The passage below Pension Pot starts with a high rift about 1.5m wide and decorated with white stal. After about 50m a deep hole in the floor can be traversed to enter another 50m of mined rift passage.

Biff Frith’s Big Rift

A high level passage was climbed, named “Diamond Passage” in honour of Mike Richardson’s 60th birthday, whilst at the end a choke was opened and named, “The Price is Right” after Graham Price’s brave work in opening it. The “choke” was in fact debris backfilled by miners from above. This breaks out into a chamber with two shafts and much loose material above.

Further west down a slope, a large natural rift chamber is entered. This was found on the day that the news that Alan ‘Biff’ Frith had passed away reached the diggers, and it was named “Biff Frith’s Big Rift” in his honour. The chamber is over 15m long, up to 3m wide and nearly 10m high. It is well decorated, and in particular there is a spectacular crystal pool at the point of entry.

A Project of Frustration and Success

After further exploration a connection was found just below Pension Pot into the original Pearl Mine, which was first explored many decades ago. The survey shows Pearl and the Sandford Levy are several metres apart but there is just nothing obvious that suggests a connection. Given that the passages above 1st Crossroads in Sandford Levvy were dug from above, the mystery of where the Old Man entered these workings has only deepened. Recent digging in Fern Mine has yet proved inconclusive.

Despite this frustration, the project has reopened what is amongst the most interesting of Mendip mines for the caver, and made over ½ km of cave/mine passage accessible. In addition some 297m of new passage have been discovered, which can only be considered a bonus!

Survey

A full survey of Pearl Mine, including the Biff’s Rift extension, was completed by the MCG. Click the image to view the full survey.

Gallery