A last minute 'Tag' onto an organised trip around these mines by the Wealden Cave & Mine Society. Saw me spend the best part of some 6 hours, underground exploring this vast labyrinth of tunnels
This first of two reports on the Godstone series of Mines.
The Godstone series of tunnels is quite vast and dates back to the early part of the 17th century. Here's some history on the Mines
Godstone:
Godstone Main Series is an amalgamation of 4-5 distinct underground quarries into one large complex. The southern series are the oldest, starting from the late 17th Century as three distinct firestone quarries.
In the early to mid 19th Century it was quarried in much further and on a larger post industrial age scale.
Firestone was quarried partly as a building stone and also for use in furnaces as it stands high-heat very well. The stone has no grain; it can be cut in any direction and is termed a free-stone. Before the industrial revolution and the coming of the railways this was the best stone to be had in the southeast without significant transport problems. Once better stone could be brought from further away more easily and cheaply the demand for firestone faded.
From around 1890 until WW.1 the site was used by French mushroom growers. There is some suggestion that the War Dept considered the site for explosive storage during WW1.
After the war there was another attempt at growing mushrooms but this was not successful. The site was considered as a shelter during WW2 but not officially used, although it is known that local people used to shelter in the ‘caves’.
Here's the pics:
The tunnels are pretty well clean, compliments of the French Mushroom growers
Sections of the roof are propped up by just dry stones that lean at precarious angles in various sections of the mine.
The mine was served by narrow gauge tracks throughout, although not much remains.
The emergency exit some 200 feet up! It exits out onto the main A22 road Didn;t try it as I did not want a Semi truck on my head
Miners bread bin!
Classic graff from a bygone period
The mine complex as can be seen on this plan is vast
The only entrance in apart from the emergency exit! Securely locked when the guides are not showing people around. The Marden Mine is even more harder!
My pics do not do justice to this vast complex of tunnels more can be found here:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/i...nes/?start=all