>
>Book Reviews 26.10.00
>
>DISCOVER THE AMAZING GREAT ORME ANCIENT COPPER MINES by Nick Jowett
>1998 NN [24pp] survey, illus. Available at the Mine, price £1.00
>email: gomines.freeserve.co.uk website:
>http://www.greatorme.freeserve.co.uk
>
>A well written and nicely illustrated visitor’s guide with plenty of
>controversial remarks e.g: “The discovery of the prehistoric mines on
>the Great Orme at Llandudno will radically re-shape our knowledge of the
>commercial history of the Bronze Age” and “The results of my study
>suggest that the total copper output for this mine during the Bronze Age
>was between 885 and 1769 tonnes, indicating that it is probably the
>largest copper mine in antiquity”.
>
>THE BRONZE AGE / A time of Change by Nyda Roberts 1994 52 pp, many
>illus, SB. Signal House Publications, Telford, Salop. [I bought my
>copy at Great Orme Mines for £1.00]
>This is a very readable account of life in the Bronze Age although I
>feel that many aspects of this book have been fictionalised. How can M
>S Roberts be sure that Bronze age people were into poetry, dance and
>drama? Did children and adults really have time to play games? Did the
>women wear mini skirts? Speculation apart, this is an interesting
>account of the times and discussed in some detail is the mining and
>smelting of copper, tin and gold.
>
>IN THE BEWICK VEIN / The Story of a Northumberland Lead Mine by Susan
>Harley 1999 64 pp, photos, illus, maps etc. Price £4.95 Honeycrook
>Press. email: [log in to unmask]
>
>The author actually lives `on site’ in the mine `shop’ now a residential
>house called Joicey Shaft Cottage. Curiosity getting the better of her,
>she began to research the Langley Barony Mines at Haydon Bridge, about
>half way between Newcastle on Tyne and Carlisle.
>
>The Northern Pennine lead mining area has been the subject of intensive
>research over the years with an ever expanding bibliography. Very
>little has been published on the northerly continuation, the lead mines
>of south west Northumberland. Known locally as the Langley Barony,
>these mines are largely undocumented, but they do provide one of the
>best examples of a lead dressing floor and they were unusual in their
>extensive use of steam power.
>
>This book provides a detailed description of the area and, for those
>unfamiliar with lead mining techniques, some basic explanations of the
>geology are also included together with mining methods, ore dressing
>and smelting.
>
>Needless to say an important contribution to the mines of the area.
>
>
>INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE - Industry People Transport. Vol 26 No 2 Summer
>2000 36 pp photos, colour cover. Price £2.90 or 1 years subscription
>£11.50 from Hudson History, Proctor House, Kirkgate, Settle, N Yorks
>BD24 9DZ
>
>Due to our quirky postal service No 2 arrived after No 3!
>
>Of great interest to the newsgroup is the main article: Antler Points to
>Prehistoric Mine Workings by Jannette Sykes. Radio carbon dating has
>confirmed that the Ecton Copper Mines in Derbyshire is only the second
>Bronze Age copper mine to be discovered in England, the other being at
>Alderley Edge in Cheshire. Could Ecton be bigger than the Great Orme
>Copper Mines?
>
>Mathew Murray - Pioneer Engineer Part 2 by Rota is the concluding
>chapter which describes an early locomotive used to haul coal.
>
>Former Managing Director, George Armitage adds to the account on
>Accrington Bricks.
>
>A Hydro Electric Interlude describes a little known hydro electric
>station at Kirkby Stephen.
>
>Mill Green Water Mill, Hatfield, near London is an interesting
>historical account of mills which have been restored and are open to the
>public. Mill Green flour is now on sale again.
>
>The Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust have restored the 124 year old
>station at Ribblehead, it is now a Visitor Centre.
>
>Passenger Travel by Canal by Rota describes a high speed - 10 mile per
>hour service that was operating in the 1830’s as competition to the
>turnpike road.
>
>The Grassington Moor Lead Mines Railway by David M Hird concludes this
>issue. Using horse traction to move tubs on iron rails, this system
>linked up shafts and inclines below ground with the dressing floors and
>spoil tips.
>
>
>TO
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