Warning

Take care when visiting mine sites as many hazards may be present such as uneven ground, open excavations and shafts. Many of the sites included on this website are accessible from public footpaths. If this is not the case the permission of the land owner should be sought before visiting.

The underground exploration of abandoned and disused mines should only be undertaken if properly equipped and experienced.

Threats to sites

Mine sites are a fragile archaeological resource and as such many are protected and damage to sites no matter how slight could result in prosecution. Don't climb on buildings, don't dig into spoil tips, and don't be tempted to drop stones or other items down shafts.

Please respect these sites so that future generations can study and experience the remains of this historically important industry.

Underground mines sites contain a great deal of archaeological information that can be damaged or destroyed by the casual visitor. A wide range of artifacts exist underground which provide valuable information to researchers however handling, moving, or removing these items prevents access to this information.

The irresponsible collection of mineral samples from mines can cause irreparable damage to fragile archaeological features and sites of special geological interest.

The National Association of Mining History organisations NAMHO has produced guidelines to encourage good practice and these can be found at www.namho.org