Sandstone Mines,
Broomers Hill
Lane , Pulborough, W.
Sussex
TQ063193
I don't know if anybody will find this of major
interest. Not exactly earth shattering
news that will warrant a stampede of thousands of cavers clutching BA's,
harnesses, miles of rope and Elsan's, but it is a hole or rather several holes
in the ground and I suppose, as J'Rat suggested to me, it does warrant a
mention.
I carried out a survey trip on these mines on Sunday the
18th November 1989, with the help of a friend, Rod Donaldson. The only reason I asked him was because he is
an architect and the proud possessor of an electronic digital measuring thingy,
which he forgot to bring, along with the torch! So the survey was carried out with a 3M tape and a cigarette lighter.
Rod found that even with the lighter it was very difficult
to see, until he realised that he was still wearing his dark glasses a half
hour after we'd started! Still it was at
the crack of 10am on a Sunday morning.
However we did manage to measure up all the passages
theand result is the attached plan (see
next page).
Research has brought very little information to light save
for two mentions. One in Sussex
Industrial Architecture a field guide. "Sand mining in Pulborough. Deserted for many years, overgrown, a series of shafts driven
horizontally 25m. into hillside".
The other, a mention in the history of Pulborough by J.
Pedley. "Mr. Perrier dug sand
(moulding sand) in Adits in small ravine at Broomers Hill till 1890".
The mine is a series of 6 adits (one now partially blocked)
driven into sandstone and the system covers a mined area of approx. 340 2/M,
Pillar and Stall. (612 3/M).
Apart from the above information local legend abounds with
tales of tunnels connecting to houses in the village, much used by
smugglers. Also a local farmer unearthed
two Roman lead "pigs" (now in
If anyone is in
Andy Garrod