Peak District Mines Historical Society

31/10/2026

🎃 THE CURSE OF MAGPIE MINE… A PEAK DISTRICT HALLOWEEN TALE 👻

High on the lonely limestone hills near Sheldon stand the haunting ruins of Magpie Mine. But behind these silent buildings lies a dark chapter of Derbyshire’s mining history… one involving bitter rivalries, three deaths and a curse said to haunt the mine for generations. ⛏️

💀 The Magpie Mine Murders of 1833

During the early 19th century, fierce disputes erupted between miners working neighbouring lead mines over the ownership of valuable underground veins.

The rivalry became so bitter that fires were deliberately lit underground to smoke out opposing miners.

In September 1833, tragedy struck when three miners from the neighbouring workings were overcome by poisonous fumes and died.

Twenty-four Magpie miners were subsequently put on trial for murder, but all were eventually acquitted.

🕯️ THE WIDOWS’ CURSE

According to local legend, the grieving widows of the three dead miners placed a curse upon Magpie Mine, condemning it to misfortune.

In the years that followed, the mine suffered financial difficulties, flooding and repeated closures.

Was it simply the harsh reality of lead mining… or something more sinister?

The mine eventually fell silent, but the legend of the Widows’ Curse has survived for nearly two centuries.

🌙 Today, the ruined engine house and chimney stand exposed to the elements, reminders of a turbulent past.

And on a dark October night, with the wind sweeping across the moors, it’s easy to understand why Magpie Mine has earned its reputation as one of the Peak District’s most atmospheric locations.

👻 Do you believe in the Widows’ Curse? Or have you heard any ghost stories, strange tales or superstitions associated with Derbyshire’s old mines?

We’d love to hear them in the comments! 👇

🎃 Happy Halloween from the Peak District Mines Historical Society!

30/10/2026

💀⛏️ THE COFFIN LEVELS OF DERBYSHIRE… Would you squeeze through one of these?

Deep beneath the Peak District lie some remarkable reminders of our mining past — narrow, coffin-shaped passages painstakingly cut through solid rock by miners centuries ago.

Known as coffin levels, these confined passages were excavated using little more than hand tools, often following valuable mineral veins deep into the limestone. Today we admire the skill and graft as a work of art.

🔦 Just look at the photograph! Imagine spending hours working in a passage barely wide enough to move, illuminated only by the flickering light of a candle.

The marks left by the miners’ tools can still be seen on the walls, a lasting reminder of the extraordinary effort involved in creating these underground workings.

While their name might sound rather sinister, particularly at Halloween, these passages are a fascinating part of Derbyshire’s industrial heritage.

👻 Have you ever explored a coffin level?

⛏️ Help us preserve Derbyshire’s underground history!

Join the Peak District Mines Historical Society and help protect, research and preserve our remarkable mining heritage. Members enjoy access to underground trips, historical publications, the mining museum and much more.

👉 Join the society here:
https://membermojo.co.uk/pdmhs

18/10/2026

⛏️ THE HIDDEN COST OF LEAD MINING – REVEALED AFTER 1,000 YEARS!

🦷 What can the teeth of people buried centuries ago tell us about life in the Peak District’s ancient mining communities?

A fascinating new archaeological study, reported by various news sources recently, has revealed just how harsh life may have been for those living and working in Derbyshire’s medieval lead mining communities.

Researchers examining human remains from three historic cemeteries have discovered evidence of extraordinary levels of lead exposure.

🔎 Some of the findings are remarkable:

▪️ Lead contamination appears to have increased as mining resumed during the 7th century.

▪️ Exposure reached particularly high levels during the 13th century, potentially exceeding those experienced during the Victorian industrial era.

▪️ Women may have suffered disproportionately from the effects of lead pollution.

For centuries, lead mining shaped the landscape, economy and communities of the Peak District. From the ancient workings beneath our feet to the villages that grew around them, mining has left an extraordinary legacy.

But discoveries like this remind us that behind the history of mining are the lives of ordinary people, whose health and wellbeing were often affected by the industry that sustained their communities.

💬 What do you think? We often celebrate the engineering, ingenuity and industrial achievements of our mining ancestors, but do we sometimes overlook the human cost?

👇 Share your thoughts in the comments.

📰 Read the full BBC article here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckz7x0jwvqvgo

Archaeologists use teeth to show when lead mining returned to the Peak District and its impact.

06/09/2026

⛏️ HERITAGE OPEN DAY 2026 — FREE TOURS AT MAGPIE MINE ⛏️

SUNDAY 13th SEPTEMBER | 11am–4pm | FREE | No booking — just turn up

The surface remains at Sheldon are the best-preserved example of an 18th and 19th century lead mine anywhere in Britain — and this was the last working lead mine in the Peak District, finally closing in 1958. It’s now a Scheduled Monument, cared for by PDMHS.

Our guides will take you round the site, let you peer down the 729ft main shaft, and tell you the whole story: the boom years and the bust years, the succession of owners who made and lost fortunes here, the alleged murder of three miners at Maypitt — and the Widow’s Curse that some say has never lifted.

🕚 Free guided tours on the hour, every hour, from 11am to 4pm (more often if it gets busy). Around an hour each.
👢 Sturdy footwear advised — parts of the site are rough underfoot. We’re over 1,000ft up on the limestone plateau, so bring a coat; the weather does as it pleases.
🐕 Dogs on leads welcome.
⚠️ Surface tours only — no access to the underground workings.

📍 Finding us: Sat nav DE45 1QU. Look for the Cornish engine house and chimney — visible for miles around. Routes from the A6 and A515 will be signposted on the day.
🅿️ Parking is available on the road nearby. From the parking it is a short walk along the track to the mine. Disabled parking is available on the mine site - show your blue badge to the attendant on the gate and they will let you through.

The day is free, but donations towards the upkeep of this historic site are always gratefully received. 💚

🍰☕️ Refreshments are also available for a cash donation.

An opportunity to learn more about this historic Derbyshire lead mine.

27/08/2026

⛏️ A Footstep from the Past…

One of the most fascinating things about exploring the old mines of the Peak District is finding those little traces left behind by the miners who once worked underground.

This image (courtesy of the Wirksworth Mines Research Group) shows a hobnail boot footprint preserved in the mine floor. 👢

In some particularly well-preserved passages, the footprints of the old miners can still be seen today. The distinctive hobnail imprints in the boot sole can help us recognise the footwear used by miners working underground many years ago.

Just imagine standing in the same passage and seeing a footprint left by a miner who walked there generations ago. It’s a remarkable and very personal connection to the people who worked these mines.

🔦 What is your best mining related discovery?

Have you discovered an old tool, artefact, inscription, footprint, or something else that really brought the history of the mines to life underground? Or have you seen the remains of a coe, engine house or horse gin on surface?

Share your finds and stories in the comments below! 👇

24/08/2026

Peak District Mining Heritage: A Story Beneath Our Feet ⛏️

The Peak District’s landscape holds centuries of mining history — from lead mines and engine houses to spoil heaps, shafts and the communities that grew around them.

These remains are more than just old workings. They tell the story of the people who worked underground, the families and villages shaped by mining, and the industries that helped transform the Peak District forever.

Mining at scale ceased in the Peak District in 2023, but its legacy remains and we as a society have been dedicated to research and preservation since the 1950’s so that we can keep the memory of this once great industry alive for future generations.

What’s your favourite piece of Peak District mining history? Do you have photographs, stories or memories of local mines or their remains that you’d like to share with us? - We’d love to hear from you.

📸 Pictured is a founder shaft sunk in the region of 300 years ago with what would have been dry stone ginging but now glued together by a calcite coating formed naturally over hundreds of years by water interacting with the limestone. Note how the ginging is still resting on the wooden supports that held the ginging in place originally 😱

Interested in learning more about Derbyshire mining history? Join the society today:
https://pdmhs.co.uk/membership-benefits/

15/08/2026

Heritage Open Days: Sorry folks, we're fully booked!

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/deep-ecton-underground-visit.html

01/06/2026

31/05/2026

26/05/2026

An Happy coincidence at T'Owd Man's Grand Day Out at Magpie Mine on Sunday. I started filming T'Owd Man's Border Morris from the end of the set up line not knowing they were going to stream off in my direction. The effect is that this looks planned, it certainly wasn't but sometimes the unplanned is so much the better for that.
More photos to come when I have a little more time to sort through the ones I took.
A good day out seems to have been had by our visititors, which was down to all of those who volunteered to help, a big thank to all who were involved. More on that when I post some of my photos.