Monument record MDR1747 - Moss Rake and Royal Oak Mine, Tideswell and Peak Forest

SK 1265 7935 - 1309 7936 Moss Rake and Royal Oak Mine. Area of Moss Rake and Royal Oak Mine in Bradwell Parish, see SMR 11632. (1,2). Hill's Venture Lead Mine, SK12447927. This monument is scheduled and includes the ruins, earthworks and buried remains of the Hill's Venture lead mine. The western part of the site includes part of a rake, or series of shaft mounds sunk along the line of a lead-bearing vein. The end of the rake marks the end of an important vein known as the Moss Rake, which is here interrupted by an intrusion of dolerite. The Moss Rake was worked here from at least the 1670s to the mid-19th century, but may first have been mined in the mid-13th century. Amongst the shaft mounds is a remarkably small shaft of approximately 0.3m diameter, an unusual feature which has been interpreted as a ventilation shaft. In addition a dressing floor survives in the eastern part of the site. This area, where raw material from the mine was broken and washed to produce increasing concentrations of lead, is partly enclosed by a low wall which is included in the scheduling. Within this enclosure a variety of remains including pits and shaft mounds, ruined structures and heaps of dressing waste can be seen. In addition the area includes a crushing wheel. This was a typical component of the dressing process in Derbyshire until the end of the 19th century. A wheel, in this case of gritstone, with a diameter of 1.2m and thickness of 0.3m, rolled on an axle around a track of stone or iron to break up pieces of ore. The crushing wheel is an extremely rare survival. Its presence in situ on the dressing floor indicates that its associated track bed will survive beneath the wheel as a buried feature, providing further evidence for the form and technology of crushing. (3). Cop Rake and Moss Rake are also scheduled monument. (4) Boggart Hole Vein, Hills Venture and Royal Oak Mines. Much of the Royal Oak Mine within the ruined belland yard wall has been reworked. Interest includes a crushing circle and wheel at Boggart Hole Vein, a water storage or dew pond at Hills Venture and a small part of a gin circle and re-erected crushing wheel at Royal Oak Mine. For full description of all three features, see Barnatt's Lead Mining Inventor. (5). See also SMR 14150 and 14147. Hill's Venture and Moss Rake End, SK 1240 7928. The west end of Moss Rake, a master vein extending from Bradwell for c.4 miles. It terminates here abruptly at the Peak Forest Sill (Dolerite). The site includes a very small diameter shaft 0.3m (1ft) probably for ventilation. There is also a gritstone crusher & track. Moss rake was worked from the 1670's to mid 19th century. (6) Edge runner from an ore crusher erected on end in an area of ground disturbed by mining. (7)