The Sikehead lead mine and dressing floor, part of the Derwent lead mines complex, features two shafts from the 1840s: Ruth Shaft for pumping and Ellen Shaft for winding. Originally, Ruth Shaft was powered by flatrods from the distant Deborah Level, but the arrival of a railway brought coal, allowing the transition to a steam engine. Notable remains include the Cornish beam engine house and boiler house near Ruth Shaft, with a surviving 14-meter chimney. Ellen Shaft, located to the north, is capped with concrete and features a small hand-operated capstan. Nearby are the remains of a flatrod balance bob pit, wash kiln, and an unusual ore chute. Also present are the remnants of a wheel pit for a 6.1-meter-diameter waterwheel used for winding. The dressing floor has areas of dressing waste. Sikehead mine exemplifies a 19th-century nucleated mine with rare Cornish features not found in other North Pennines sites.
Join us on our cinematic exploration as we look at the various features of the remains of this still impressive and unique site : (video link at the end).
Join us on our cinematic exploration as we look at the various features of the remains of this still impressive and unique site : (video link at the end).
