Next Talk is on 29th April 2024 - Bathford Parish Hall at 8:00pm."Combe Down stone mines" presented by Richard Irving - Combe down oolitic limestone was laid down 146m years ago and there is evidence that it was exploited by the Romans who, like others, found it easy to work. Peak mining was in the 18th and 19th centuries when the stone was used to facilitate the rapid development of Bath, Bristol and London. The mines, including the adjacent Byfield Mine, were mainly exhausted by the 1860s but development of the railway revealed a huge source of the stone which was used to maintain supply. The local council surveyed the sites in 1994 and found that much of the area was hazardous, leading to a major stabilisation project. Our speaker is President of the Combe Down Heritage Society and author of A History of the Byfield Mine, Combe Down. He lived for many years in a former quarry master's house where a large hole in the garden led to the former underground workings. He is obviously the person with most authority to take us through this fascinating story. |
