Bell pits in Horsforth.

[BarFly]

Darn it! I passed there an hour or so ago on my way to look at the mounds in the field near Rawdon. You can see one of the mounds really clearly from the road. The hole is still there (obviously) but I didn't dare venture in the field as it's closed and there are horses so i thought they may be wary of trespassers.Thanks for the explanations of what they look like and where to look for them -- to think I've passed them hundreds of times and not given them a second thought.

[BarFly]

uncle mick wrote: Probably nothing to do with pits, but what's this?http://goo.gl/maps/l1Z0i I've taken another look at this on Google Earth (for some reason your link takes me to a foreign google.th that is slower) and I think it may actually be the site of a pit. If you zoom out you will see two walled-off mounds between fields that I'm convinced are bell pits going on what the others look like.Parksider, are there supposed to be two or three pits in these fields?http://goo.gl/maps/51ES9

[grumpytramp]

BarFly wrote: uncle mick wrote: Probably nothing to do with pits, but what's this?http://goo.gl/maps/l1Z0i I've taken another look at this on Google Earth (for some reason your link takes me to a foreign google.th that is slower) and I think it may actually be the site of a pit. If you zoom out you will see two walled-off mounds between fields that I'm convinced are bell pits going on what the others look like. Your interpration is probably correct, it was custom and practice often to seal shafts by flinging tree stumps down shafts and then filling over with a mound (to allow for any settlement). Landowners often then isolated the area behind a fence or wallThats said, the first series ordnance survey map shows a lot of the old coal pits on or about the crop of the Soft Band Coal, yet shows these enclosures already in existence?Perhaps just early nineteenth century landscaping? BarFly wrote: Parksider, are there supposed to be two or three pits in these fields?http://goo.gl/maps/51ES9 There are at least 15 shafts in the area of the Hunger Hills (bounded by West End Lane, Brownberrie Lane, Westbrook Lane amd Horsforth) many of which are shown on the First Series Ordnance survey plan, see:http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapshe ... 171&y=302I am not altogether sure that the series of shafts that extend from the Hunger Hills west towards the river are all "bell pits". http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapshe ... y=225There is more than a hint of more sophisticated workings, for example in the name of the Sough Wood (just south of Calverley Lane http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.832751, ... 1&t=m&z=16 ) which suggests a drainage level has been driven to drain workings and suggesting more sophisticated and organised mining systemsThese pits were working very thin coals typically probably 9"-12" of pretty grotty coal (mostly the Soft Band) to supply local markets; and were forced out of business by the arrival of the railways providing low cost and high coal quality from the south of Leeds & Bradford.

[grumpytramp]

BarFly wrote: Do you meant the field bordered by Knott Lane and Kirton Lane has two pits marked? If so then I think they are still visible in the aerial photographs on Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/KUSgt If you look carefully at the first series OS map, you will note that these workings are marked "coal pits" not "old coal pits"http://www.british-history.ac.uk/mapshe ... &y=193They are recorded as being worked into the 1850s, its history along with the other pits down the valley side by DC Woodcock's excellent History of Rawdon website: Quote: As for minerals, Rawdon being on the very edge of the coal measures, mining was never a major industry. The Thompson family certainly owned their own pits for their mills. Hunt’s ‘Mineral Statistics’ (1855) refers to William Woodhead and Co. having pits in Rawdon and in Calverley and they had certainly been in Rawdon as far back as 1838. It is likely that the pits had not been dug until the mills came. Hunt refers to 11 shafts including one near the lodge of Woodleigh Hall, one in what is now Knott Lane estate, one near Park Mill dam, one near the end of Layton Avenue, one near Larkfield dam (no doubt the one Palliser remembered as a boy) one to the east of Layton Lane (which, with the approval of the Green-Emmott estate, the council filled with household rubbish in 1934), one to the left (west) side of Intake Lane etc. There could have been others but by the 1860s they were becoming uneconomic as the railway was bringing cheap coal from deep pits. See http://www.a-history-of-rawdon.co.uk/ag ... nerals-15/ and for the whole excellent story http://www.a-history-of-rawdon.co.uk/

[grumpytramp]

I have posted before about the incident at a Horsforth Colliery in 1806http://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messages.aspx ... essage=125 [07-Aug-2009 00:18:39 ]I have since come across a more comprehensive account which in the context of Barfly post today about the Hunger Hills is quite poignantTaken from "History of the Ancient Parish of Guiseley" by Philemon Slater [1880] Quote: Another case of mourning in Horsforth in 1806, when a shocking catastrophe happened in a coal pit situated at the north side of Hunger Hills. The mouth of the pit fell in and buried the colliers alive. They remained underground for 12 days and the first few days they could be hears crying aloud for help, but little or no help could be given, although their friends managed to bore a hole to give them a little air and scatter some beans downThere is a tomb in Calverley Church yard in memory of one of these unfortunate young colliers, which reads as follows:"In memory of George Crossley, of Idle, who lost his life at the age of 23 in a coal mine at Horsforth, by being shut up with a fall of earth on February 5th, 1806, and remained underground 12 days. The expense of this stone and epitaph was paid by a voluntary subsription begun by Thomas Loyd Esg., and the Rev. Mr. Shepley of Horsforth"The following rhyme appears on Crossley's tombstone."When fate commands we must obey,For in Youth I'm forced away.I labour'd for my mother's good, And to relive did all I could.Farewell, dear mother, providence is just,Though I am mouldering into dust"

[BarFly]

Thanks grumpytramp there's plenty of information to keep me reading for hours here.It's knowledge like yours and The Parksider's which make this site so interesting.    

[The Parksider]

BarFly wrote: Thanks grumpytramp there's plenty of information to keep me reading for hours here.It's knowledge like yours and The Parksider's which make this site so interesting.     Don't bracket me with the mighty Grumpytramp!!!.I went to the field today to look at the "bell pit" and it isn't a bell pit.When looking over the wall at the pit, if you walk down the road towards Leeds for 30 yards you'll see a gap in the wall and steps down to a stile. Go over the stile and you can easily walk into the horses field, by doubling back between some trees.When you get to the fence you will see the head of a circular shaft and the first several feet of a well made stone lining above the layers of rubbish that fill the shaft.Absolutely made up with this!!Already Grumpytramp has it right even 200 miles away, it's a late 19th.C coal mine and as it's not on the 1850 OS map it seems to be like it's been dug for power for the mills of which there were three big ones. What exactly the mills would use the coal for I dunno.As for the pit best I can do is guess that there was some sort of winding mechanism and am only guessing at a horse gin in the absence of any structure to accommodate mechanical winding. No the two horses in the field are not pit ponies!!GT will have the exact handle on what the surface would look and work like for a mine as small as this BUT as relatively late as this.There is no sign of waste, I guess that could have been used close by for surfacing.Go have a look Barfly there's nobody to chase you away and the horses are fine. Magnificent discovery sir.....

[The Parksider]

BarFly wrote: Thanks grumpytramp there's plenty of information to keep me reading for hours here.It's knowledge like yours and The Parksider's which make this site so interesting.     Try the pit just north of east brook house up in Rawdon Village.It's just a rough low mound in the farmers field but you can pick out the bits of coal from the rough ground.I picked a desert spoon full and put the blowtorch on it. Oddly I couldn't seem to get it to light!

[The Parksider]

grumpytramp wrote: These pits were working very thin coals typically probably 9"-12" of pretty grotty coal Grotty!! I can't even get it to light!

[The Parksider]

BarFly wrote: uncle mick wrote: Probably nothing to do with pits, but what's this?http://goo.gl/maps/l1Z0i I've taken another look at this on Google Earth (for some reason your link takes me to a foreign google.th that is slower) and I think it may actually be the site of a pit. If you zoom out you will see two walled-off mounds between fields that I'm convinced are bell pits going on what the others look like.Parksider, are there supposed to be two or three pits in these fields?http://goo.gl/maps/51ES9 I don't think you can blame the OS for missing any pits when the area would have had working pits, old pits showing remains and older pits grown over by 1850 and pretty much forgotten, but the walling gives them away - well done to you and Mick.The "messy area" in the field is something else. I'll put the dog on a lead and go look!