Monument record MDR1336 - Greensward and Great Greensward Mine, Ashford in the Water

Lead mine with an excellent climbing shaft down which the plunger of a pump remains. (1) Climbing shaft with footholds and handholds built into the limestone masonry lining. Nearby are late 19th century remains of a steam engine house and a large lead mine shaft. The engine was used for pumping and possibly for winding, circa 1880. (4) The climbing shaft is illustrated in (5). Great Greensward Mine has been identified as a high priority lead mining site in a survey of 2004. Although the hillocks are mostly removed, a lidded oval engine shaft, at one side of a disturbed platform/hillock, has rare in-situ underground pumps and guide rails for a cage. Nearby at the surface there is a raised stone mounting for a horizontal pumping/winding engine, erected outdoors or housed in a wooden/corrugated iron engine house. Behind this there is a ruined stone-built boiler house with attached chimney base with a fire-brick lining. In the boiler house wall there is the site of a drawing door with in-situ iron guide rails. Nearby there is a grilled climbing shaft with a fine example of stone climbing stemples. At the south-east end of the field there is a second engine shaft and a climbing shaft. To the south-east, a separate area of shafts includes a fine example of an oval climbing/winding shaft with climbing stones in the ginging and rope-wear grooves below. There is a ruined coe nearby. (7) The site was assessed for scheduling in 2012. However, the remains were not considered to fulfil the criteria for scheduling for reasons of survival, diversity and potential. See the advice report for full details. (8)