Dear Bryan,
The answer to your question is no. In metal mining (anyway), a footway is a
ladder way that goes from u/g to surface, otherwise if solely u/g it is a
whinze, rise or manway (but to complicate things, they are also sometimes
referred to as ladderways, and I have seen footway on one old u/g plan - much
depended on individual surveyors interpretation and likes/dislikes!).
A footrill, now that's a term - I must be honest - I haven't come across
before (or at least have forgotten! It is an interesting name/word, in that the
'foot' is obvious, but, the rill is more interesting in that a rill is a
ditch - I am sure my memory is serving me right on this. The term/name makes
sense in that it is a 'foot ditch', and the 'old man' used it as basically a
description of a 'way' underground to allow foot access and water egress. It
would be very interesting to know if any List members have seen this term applied
outside of your area (Notts.), as in other areas (& as you know), the term
is adit and/or level - mind you, to further complicate matters I have heard
waygate used as well in the N.Country - and there are one or two others that I
can't remember off hand!
Interesting!
Regards, Bernard
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