History:
Hollybush is a small bathstone operation, with two shafts a slope that would've likely had some form of narrow gauge and an airshaft (which I failed to find). The site shut down in the early 1900s due to discovering the stone was of poor quality, hence the limited size.
The explore:
I was in the area trying to access Leafield explosive handling facility / Monkspark West, however as that wasn't fruitful I dropped into Hollybush for a quick nosey to lift the spirits, absolutely tiny system but compared to Box or Brows folly far less trodden with minimal graffiti.
Entry down the slope is relatively easy, if you ignore the bramble bush and muddy bottom
Once down the slope you arrive at the only junction of the system, a T
The junction also features a nice little collection of artifacts
Following straight on at the T, the end is quickly reached in under 100m.
To the Left is the airshaft, with a sump bellow, looking up it appeared overgrown which gives me a good excuse for not finding the air shaft.
Heading back towards the other option at the T junction
Continuing down the end is also reached within 100m with little more to see.
There is apparently some Boer war era graffiti down here that I was searching for, but after I heard a dead making some alarming cracking sounds I decided it was a good time to head back to the car.
Interesting little site, nice to see a bathstone mine not covered in graffiti swasticas, but honestly not a huge amount more to say about it than that
Hollybush is a small bathstone operation, with two shafts a slope that would've likely had some form of narrow gauge and an airshaft (which I failed to find). The site shut down in the early 1900s due to discovering the stone was of poor quality, hence the limited size.
The explore:
I was in the area trying to access Leafield explosive handling facility / Monkspark West, however as that wasn't fruitful I dropped into Hollybush for a quick nosey to lift the spirits, absolutely tiny system but compared to Box or Brows folly far less trodden with minimal graffiti.
Entry down the slope is relatively easy, if you ignore the bramble bush and muddy bottom
Once down the slope you arrive at the only junction of the system, a T
The junction also features a nice little collection of artifacts
Following straight on at the T, the end is quickly reached in under 100m.
To the Left is the airshaft, with a sump bellow, looking up it appeared overgrown which gives me a good excuse for not finding the air shaft.
Heading back towards the other option at the T junction
Continuing down the end is also reached within 100m with little more to see.
There is apparently some Boer war era graffiti down here that I was searching for, but after I heard a dead making some alarming cracking sounds I decided it was a good time to head back to the car.
Interesting little site, nice to see a bathstone mine not covered in graffiti swasticas, but honestly not a huge amount more to say about it than that
