1. The History
Located on the valley above Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, Wapping Mine is an old shaft and adit working on the Moletrap Rake. It is a typical rake and pipe-vein working. It is believed that the mine was being worked as early as 1750's, most likely for the extraction of galena. Typical of a lot of mines in Derbyshire, the mine was reworked for fluorspar from 1924 onwards where the main areas of working where on the Moletrap Vein and the “Maze” which located at the north-west extremities of the mine. The main level of the mine relatively large and includes four larger stope workings.
Map of the Wapping/Cumberland Cave complex:
© Roger Flindall
The mine is also characterised by a number of lower-level workings known as “The Maze”. This confusing warren of passages and pockets did not actually yield a large amount of fluorspar and after 1936 not much more activity took place in the mine until 1953 when Frank Barton of Banks and Barton took over the mine and worked it relatively intensively for approximately 3 years.
Map of “The Maze” section of Wapping mine:
© Roger Flindall
Around this time an opencast section was also started at the adit, which advanced westwards along the rake. This collapse in 1954 bringing the front end of the mine down along with some of the higher-level workings. The Incline Level, located to the south-west from the main adit was also driven around this period in an attempt to cross the vein from the Main Stope working, but this proved unsuccessful.
In the north-west extremities of Wapping mine, Cumberland Cavern can be accessed. Its original name was Cumberland Mine and is an old working most likely developed at the same time as Wapping Mine. It is above the Wapping workings by approximately 12m and has two connections with it. Firstly, via the Funnel Cave at the end of the Forth Stope in Wapping and secondary via the Devils Pit, which leads into the Maze. Unlike Wapping mine, a lot of the workings in Cumberland Cavern appear to have broken into natural chambers, reinforced by lack of shot holes. The mine looks to have initially been worked before it was then opened in 1780 as a show cave. Famously, Queen Victoria visited the show cave, and it changed its name to the Royal Cumberland Cavern. The show cave closed around the late 1960's and early 1970's and a gang call the "Troggs" occupied the show cave, resulting in large amounts of graffiti in some of its chambers. Since they vacated the cave, it has been left abandoned and its only visitors have been the odd caver and explorer.
Map detail of the show cave:
© Roger Flindall
Show cave circa 1955:
Advert for the show cave:
2. The Explore
With a morning free, myself and @Bikin Glynn decided to meet up in Derbyshire to do some exploring. Big up to @Jl.urbex for the intel. I’d had this place on my radar for a while, so asked him if he was up for it and he said he was. We met up in the nearby hotel’s carpark. It was then a short trek up the hillside on a well-marked footpath to the entrance. It was a bit of a squeeze to get initially. The route up through Wapping mine is interesting and a bit of a scramble initially. We ended up in the maze for a bit but found our way out again and up and round onto the main track onto the show cave. Definitely a game of two halves. The mine was rugged and rocky. The show cave was very different, and it was almost weird seeing the stone steps and iron handrails after the mine. Definitely a unique place and want to come back here again.
3. The Pictures
Quick external shot:
And we’re in. Greeted by collapses:
Lovely mineralisation:
The main part of the mine is really fascinating:
Across different levels:
Stacked-up deads:
It’s a pretty rugged track:
A crushed old wheelbarrow?
Lonely is the roof prop:
Stope with the miner’s support props:
And other old mining artifacts:
Don’t kick the bucket by mistake:
More incredible mineralisation:
Onward and up-wards:
Wandered into the Maze by mistake:
Looking for a way up from the Maze:
Located on the valley above Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, Wapping Mine is an old shaft and adit working on the Moletrap Rake. It is a typical rake and pipe-vein working. It is believed that the mine was being worked as early as 1750's, most likely for the extraction of galena. Typical of a lot of mines in Derbyshire, the mine was reworked for fluorspar from 1924 onwards where the main areas of working where on the Moletrap Vein and the “Maze” which located at the north-west extremities of the mine. The main level of the mine relatively large and includes four larger stope workings.
Map of the Wapping/Cumberland Cave complex:
© Roger Flindall
The mine is also characterised by a number of lower-level workings known as “The Maze”. This confusing warren of passages and pockets did not actually yield a large amount of fluorspar and after 1936 not much more activity took place in the mine until 1953 when Frank Barton of Banks and Barton took over the mine and worked it relatively intensively for approximately 3 years.
Map of “The Maze” section of Wapping mine:
© Roger Flindall
Around this time an opencast section was also started at the adit, which advanced westwards along the rake. This collapse in 1954 bringing the front end of the mine down along with some of the higher-level workings. The Incline Level, located to the south-west from the main adit was also driven around this period in an attempt to cross the vein from the Main Stope working, but this proved unsuccessful.
In the north-west extremities of Wapping mine, Cumberland Cavern can be accessed. Its original name was Cumberland Mine and is an old working most likely developed at the same time as Wapping Mine. It is above the Wapping workings by approximately 12m and has two connections with it. Firstly, via the Funnel Cave at the end of the Forth Stope in Wapping and secondary via the Devils Pit, which leads into the Maze. Unlike Wapping mine, a lot of the workings in Cumberland Cavern appear to have broken into natural chambers, reinforced by lack of shot holes. The mine looks to have initially been worked before it was then opened in 1780 as a show cave. Famously, Queen Victoria visited the show cave, and it changed its name to the Royal Cumberland Cavern. The show cave closed around the late 1960's and early 1970's and a gang call the "Troggs" occupied the show cave, resulting in large amounts of graffiti in some of its chambers. Since they vacated the cave, it has been left abandoned and its only visitors have been the odd caver and explorer.
Map detail of the show cave:
© Roger Flindall
Show cave circa 1955:
Advert for the show cave:
2. The Explore
With a morning free, myself and @Bikin Glynn decided to meet up in Derbyshire to do some exploring. Big up to @Jl.urbex for the intel. I’d had this place on my radar for a while, so asked him if he was up for it and he said he was. We met up in the nearby hotel’s carpark. It was then a short trek up the hillside on a well-marked footpath to the entrance. It was a bit of a squeeze to get initially. The route up through Wapping mine is interesting and a bit of a scramble initially. We ended up in the maze for a bit but found our way out again and up and round onto the main track onto the show cave. Definitely a game of two halves. The mine was rugged and rocky. The show cave was very different, and it was almost weird seeing the stone steps and iron handrails after the mine. Definitely a unique place and want to come back here again.
3. The Pictures
Quick external shot:
And we’re in. Greeted by collapses:
Lovely mineralisation:
The main part of the mine is really fascinating:
Across different levels:
Stacked-up deads:
It’s a pretty rugged track:
A crushed old wheelbarrow?
Lonely is the roof prop:
Stope with the miner’s support props:
And other old mining artifacts:
Don’t kick the bucket by mistake:
More incredible mineralisation:
Onward and up-wards:
Wandered into the Maze by mistake:
Looking for a way up from the Maze:
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How did you 2 get on ? all went well by the looks of it ! I no glyn can be a bit head strong and try to lead you into dangerous situations he does with me anyway
