As part of the ongoing Smallcleugh project the North Pennines Heritage Trust working in partnership with the North Pennines Archaeology Summer School have revealed the well preserved remains of early 19th century mine shop. Within the building the flagged floor was found to have survived intact and a well preserved blacksmith’s forge was discovered. The excavation produced a superb selection of finds in addition to the usual pottery and clay pipe found elsewhere on the site, including horse shoes, drills, pick heads and rail; all items that could have been maintained in such a forge.
Once the recording work has been completed all the exposed fabric of the mine shop will be consolidated, and the site will be the centrepiece of a new upper Nenthead mine trail. It is hoped that this trail will be open to the public by December 2007. This work is part of the much larger Heritage Lottery funded project that the Trust will be working on up until December 2007, anyone wishing to volunteer and receive training will be welcome on all our projects. A small element of this project allows the Trust to help interested parties or groups carrying out their own projects with specialist help such as topographical survey or geophysics. If anyone has such a project that could benefit please call North Pennines Archaeology on 01434 382045.
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