Dear List,
I thought the following by Tony Setterington included in the latest edition of CBA South West Journal may be of interest to list members:
What is the silver content of the Combe Martin lead ores?
"Stuckey in 'Adventurers Slopes' quotes two different figures, one from a report in the 'Mining Journal' of 60oz of silver to a ton of lead, the second a North Devon Silver-Lead Mine in Parracombe which, reputedly, is a continuation of the Combmartin Silver-Lead lodes and assays at 12.5oz of Fine Silver to the ton of ore. In proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological & Natural History Society, Vol. 101, an analysis of lead ore published in 1870 contained .041% of silver. 12.5oz to the ton of ore is equal to .038% or .049% of the metal content, agreeing well with the Somerset figure for ore content and with the value quoted of .05% for a Roman pig from Mendip. The higher figure for the Combe Martin ore is probably designed to tempt more investors into sharing in a suspect adventure."
"From AD 361 each Roman soldier had an 'accession donative' (joining bribe) of five gold Solidi and one pound of silver (327g) which must have stretched the British silver production to its limits. It is possible that ore from Combe Martin was carried to Mendip or South Wales for smelting and/or cupellation, where coal was readily available. Subsequent Medieval and later workings in all these areas makes it likely that we will never know!"
Kindest regards,
Trevor.
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