By Dr John Barnatt
The south-western part of the Peak District is littered with archaeological remains left from centuries of mining in the past, which started in the Bronze Age and continued into the early 20th Century.
The Ecton Copper Mines, which were some of the richest and deepest mines in Britain in the 18th century, are relatively well known. However, there are other now little-known places where copper and lead ores were delved for, while coal mining on the high moors south-west of Buxton was extensive and there are many low remains still to be explored. Many who visit these moors see them as places of great natural beauty without realising that once there were industrial wastelands here. This talk will introduce the varied character and history of past mining across the limestone and gritstone landscapes of the South West Peak.
