Archaeological Watching Brief, Dene Quarry, Cromford, Derbyshire

Tarmac Central Ltd are preparing to expand Dene Quarry, Cromford, Derbyshire. Expansion will take place in two areas, one to the north-east and one to the south of the existing quarry. Archaeological investigations have already taken the form of a assessment, a walk over survey and an evaluation. They recorded substantial evidence for lead mining in the vicinity and within the expansion areas. This report contains the findings of an archaeological watching brief during topsoil and subsoil stripping. The northern extraction area yielded three mine shafts that are likely to date from the eighteenth to nineteenth centuries. Bedrock was very close to the surface in this area and the shafts may represent a walking entrance to a mine. The southern extraction area yielded five dry stone lined (ginged) shafts; the ginging was up to 4.5m in depth and the shafts below were measured up to 19.50m in depth. Features common to the area were identified, such as ginging, possible stemples (wooden stakes used for climbing), beehive ging capping (stone shaft capping), and mining spoil.