In the South Gloucestershire/ Bristol area we have round shafts, oval
shafts, square ones and rectangular ones. There weren't just coalmines in
the area but there are examples of each of these at coalmines in this
locality.
It tends to be that the earlier ones (18th century & early 19thC) are stone
lined and square (with slightly rounded corners) and later ones (mid- late
19th C) are round and brick lined. That said we have a nice round brick
shaft on a site that dates from 1792. Oval shafts (again stone lined) tend
to be a feature (particularly in the Coalpit Heath area) where there were
horse gins, the oval shaft being large enough for two kibbles to pass.
These are again mainly late 18th C but include some into the 19th C as well.
The most recent shaft to open up in the area is however stone lines and
rectangular. Records confirm this was a winding shaft with a double cage
probably dating from the late 1840's. Within a mile of it is a round brick
lines shaft (sunk in 1867) which is also a double caged one which had wooden
guide rails
Make of that what you will
Regards
David
|