DescriptionMinera Lead Mines cover an extensive area of mining, worked over a long period and occupying an area some 3km by 1km along the north eastern scarp of Esclusham Mountain. Although some believe that the Romans worked in the area, the first written record of lead mining at Minera dates from the thirteenth century; mining stopped in the early years of the twentieth century. There are numerous single shafts, mostly undated, such as Low's Shaft, Morgan's Shaft, Davies' Shaft, Cornish Shaft, Boundary Shaft,Ellerton's Shaft and Busy Bee Shaft, and several eighteenth and nineteenth century mines with various remains still visible. These include Lower Park Lead Mine, Park Lead Mine, Ragman Lead Mine, Minera Union Lead Mine, Lloyd's Shaft Lead Mine (nprn 85339), Taylor's Shaft Lead Mine (nprn 85327), Roy's Shaft Lead Mine (85314), Meadow Shaft or City Shaft Lead Mine (nprn 85308), New Minera Lead Mine (nprn 406791), a halvans processing works (nprn 34059) and a zinc processing plant (nprn 416431). A land reclamation scheme has uncovered many previously buried features, now mostly preserved, notably at the Meadow Shaft or City Shaft Lead Mine.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 07 September 2000; 05 October 2007.