Warren Moor Ironstone Mine

Where	Warren Moor Mine	Type of Event	Site Visit
When	Wednesday 12th June	Tutor	Malcolm Bisby

A group of around 20 members met at the mine to learn about its history. Malcolm gave an informative talk which kept everyone interested despite an unfortunate squall of rain. A brief resume follows, taken in part from Malcolm’s own contribution on the National Park’s information board.

History of the mine

By the mid 1800s the iron making industry in the north East was expanding rapidly. The search was on for ironstone deposits to feed this growing industry and entrepreneurs invested huge sums of money and effort in search of their fortunes.

Mining began at Warren Moor in 1865, with drift mines cut into the ironstone Top Seam in the valley sides to provide revenue while the main mine was developed. This was commenced with the sinking of 2 shafts in 1866 to meet the Main Seam ironstone at a depth of 220 ft, but in just 2 years the company had gone bust and the venture abandoned without the shaft mine ever starting work. Left behind were the chimney, the shafts, a short section of rail trackbed and a number of stone cottages for the workers (these were subsequently demolished, the stone being used to build Kildale Village Hall). A further venture between 1872 and 1874 continued drift mining into the Top Seam but it appears to have made no further progress on the shaft mine and again failed due to financial difficulties.

Warren Moor is unusual in that its remoteness has allowed it to survive relatively complete. There are moves to have the workings made safe with help from money from the Heritage Lottery Fund so that this unique piece of industrial history can be made more accessible to the general public.

Anyone wishing to know more about this venture can find further information on the National Park