Keith,

As suggested in Andy Bowman's email the ACG may well know about this, so I 
emailed Alan Gray and he replied as below. This gives a 6 figure NGR and 
some useful description of where it is as well as details of the shaft 
itself. Will you pass on this info to the local group?

Cheers
Roger
---------------------------
Hi Roger

Located it from the MCRA web site just searched for Cadbury. From the 
registry page click on the Bibliography - there are six references to this 
shaft.. Then lucliky all the BEC publications are on-line.

From BEC Bulletin No. 363 -

Cadbury Camp Mineshaft
By Tony Jarratt

On the weekend following the ‘Great Snowstorm’ the Belfry regulars were 
contacted by archaeologist and ex-club member, Keith Gardner, who wanted a 
mineshaft investigated.  The hole had appeared after the snow, on the wooded 
fortification of Cadbury Camp hill fort overlooking Yatton (NGR: ST 439650) 
immediately above the Country Club.  Bob Cross, John Dukes, Rog Sabid; and 
Wig bravely answered the call and John and Rog found the shaft to be 
approximately 150 feet deep, 8 - 10 feet in diameter at the top, tapering to 
about 5 feet at the bottom.

The first 8 feet or so is stone-lined and the rest is in solid limestone 
with a floor of rubble and earth at least 4 feet deep.  The shaft was partly 
covered with old railway lined and rotten timbers placed there after a 
previous collapse earlier this century.  No passages lead off the shaft and 
there are no signs of haulage marks on the sides or of any other mining 
remains in the immediate vicinity.  Shot holes were noticed in the shaft 
sides.

Various theories as to its use have been put forward, the most probable 
being that it is a trial shaft in search of iron ore, which was mined all 
along the hills as far as Winford, the nearest group of workings from 
Cadbury being in Kings Wood, half a mile away. Here there are many shallow 
shafts and levels driven insooth limestone and earth.  Suggestions as to its 
being a well are made doubtful by the dryness of the shaft, its position of 
only 50 feet from the steep hill-side and the fact that shaft bottom is 
about 85 feet above saturated moor level.

A dig at the bottom would prove interesting but rather difficult due to lack 
of dumping space - all spoil having to be hauled to the surface.  A few 
years ago a similar, though only 40 foot deep shaft opened up in the grounds 
of the Country Club and two others are rumoured to exist further along the 
ridge towards Claverham, though have not yet been investigated.

The Cadbury shaft is an excellent SRT practice site and the local council 
and commoners association have jointly paid for its capping and the 
provision of a manhole for access.  A 1” ring spanner and lifting key are 
required (a set will be kept in the Belfry).  Best access is from the ‘No 
Through Road’ ( Henley Lane) just past the Country Club going towards 
Yatton.  A public footpath leads to the foot of the hill and by climbing up 
through the woods behind the club the shaft can be found at the top. 
Prospective diggers will need cutting gear to remove the five bar gate 
thrown down by local yobs!  A further pleasure of the site is its close 
proximity to Richard’s cider farm. Probably the best brew in the locality 
and £1-00 per gallon.

Many thanks

Alan Gray



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy Bowman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: [mining-history] Mines at Congresbury, Somerset.


Suggest they look in the records and publications of the Axbridge Caving
group. They investigated a large number of the ochre mines on the
Mendips and may have recorded this one. Understand Bristol Reference
Library have copies of their publications


Andy Bowman