Magpie Mine
The Magpie complex
driven at a lower level and quite unexpectedly rich veins of lead ore were found . This was the only time Magpie Mine recorded any profitable results ; £ 360 in a matter of a few months , quite an appreciable amount in 1813 . By 1820 around £ 2000 had been paid out to shareholders . Unfortunately this was the only time the mine could show any return on the appreciable sums invested by hopeful entrepreneurs . By 1835 the mine had closed with only sporadic mining until a short-lived reopening in search of other minerals as well as lead , but again this came to nothing .
Such is the crowded nature of the complex series of lead veins which lie beneath the surrounding fields that separate mines were operating within a matter of yards of each other . Three of these mines Maypitt , Redsoil and Dirty Redsoil , lie to the east and south east of the present day mine buildings . Magpie ’ s Shuttlebank Vein runs between them and as a result the years from 1824 to 1835 were marred by expensive legal disputes . These
Restored gunpowder shed - weak roof and round walls
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