December 1909
The Oxlow Caverns are situated about half a mile beyond the top of the Winnats, on the Buxton Road, and about 200 yards past a small farm on the left approaching from Castleton.
Very little was known of this place when the D. P. C. started to explore it, the men who went down in 1876 being all dead. In that year a horse, which belonged to a farmer living near the mine, disappeared whilst pasturing, and the owner had two miners up from Castleton to explore the shaft, which is very narrow in places. They found the horse dead at the bottom, and were told to re-timber the place throughout. The farmer’s idea was to get everything into a safe condition, and then open it as a show place, as the two miners brought out such beautiful specimens, and gave accounts of such magnificent natural caverns, that he thought it would be a profitable venture. However, it was never opened for tourists, and after timbering the mine where necessary, it was lost sight of.
In November 1909, F. A. Winder, J.W. Puttrell, C. Baines, J. W. Percival, and W. M. Sissons went up to explore, previous to holding a Club ‘meet’ there. Taking only 70 feet of rope ladder and a rope or two, they did not get very far into the workings below.
In December 1909, the Club had a meet there, and some very fine sights were seen. The first shaft, which is only 60 feet deep, is very narrow, and wet at the bottom. This shaft leads to a 70-foot slope, which requires care in descending. Although not at a steep angle, it is slippery and loose in places. Down this slope, ladders, ropes, pegs, beams, cameras, etc., etc., were taken. At the bottom a chamber was reached which is approximately circular, and has a sandy floor. In one corner a raised stone bench was found, and a riddle (very much decayed), which shows that lead ore had been crushed and dressed there, before being brought to the surface. There is a small sump in one corner, but this was not descended by the Club, as it had partially run in.
A sandy slope was descended, and a narrow passage about 3 feet high and 2 wide entered. This led to the top of a gulf 40 feet deep, with stemples all the way down. Water could be heard roaring. This place was descended on a rope ladder. At the bottom was found a beautiful cascade of limestone deposit. In wet weather (as on the occasion of the exploration) there is a torrent running down it. This wet slope was descended, and the side of a huge and beautiful chamber, 240 feet high and 40 feet wide, down into which the water pours, was reached.
A small crack gave access to a ledge about 4 feet wide and 6 feet long. In one corner of this ledge was a 30-foot sump about 2 feet wide. This was descended on a fixed rope, and brought the party about halfway down the great chamber. An easy slope about 80 feet ended in another drop. This was descended by the aid of stemples, which were found to be in perfect condition. Another slope led to the bottom of the large chamber.
The floor was all rock and flat. In one corner were a great number of cave pearls. From the roof on the left dropped a stream of water, which ran away down a crack on the right-hand side of the cavern.
Moving forward, a narrow passage was reached about 30 feet long, with a vein of lead in it 2 inches thick. This passage came to a blank, and on returning, a 28-foot sump was found, terminating in a small circular chamber. There was a hole about a foot wide and 3 feet deep in one corner, leading to a small chamber, but further progress downward was barred by blocks of stone fastened securely together by the limestone deposit. Magnesium showed the water dashing into spray, and all the walls glistening with moisture.
A return was made to the bottom of the sump with the waterfall coming down it. Passing under it, and continuing forward, another passage, fairly wide and high was found, leading to the top of another large cavern. On one of the walls was chiselled ‘J. J. /76,’ the initials of one of the miners who timbered the place. The roof in places down the slope was rather treacherous.
A slide down a sump about 15 feet deep, in the shape of a corkscrew, brought the party on to a loose, sandy slope. The loose floor was soon passed over, and a good hard rock channel, which had stemples in all the way down, reached. In 30 or 40 feet this ended in a lip, which required a rope ladder.
About 30 feet above the top of the lip two chases were cut in the side of the rock near the floor, so as firmly to wedge a 5-inch by 4-inch timber across the rocky channel. A 100 feet rope ladder was slung over the lip. At the bottom of the cavern a small watercourse, down which a little stream trickled, was found. Two of the party pushed up this, through thick mud, which lined the sides. The first man noticed in the mud some prints of corduroy trousers, which looked as if they had been made a few minutes before. At least thirty-four years must have elapsed since anyone had been up, and yet the prints in the mud were quite fresh and clear. This watercourse was forced for nearly 100 yards, when it became too narrow, and so barred further progress.
On getting out of the watercourse another rather low passage was descended. This passage brought the party into a huge cavern, 220 feet long and 50 feet wide. The top of this place could not be seen, although six of the party held lighted magnesium, whilst two others were vainly trying to catch sight of the roof. Going forward, a floor was reached where the old miners used to crush and dress their ore, and so take it to the surface ready for the smelting furnace. Some old riddles all rusted through, which collapsed as soon as they were touched, were lying about. A big slope of large boulders, up the left side of which were some very rough steps, led to the entrance of a tunnel 20 feet long, cut out of the solid rock.
The far end of the tunnel terminated in another chamber with a waterfall coming from the roof. This was about 100 feet high, and the walls were covered with lovely formation. At what appeared to be the end of the place a sump was noticed in the floor. This was found to about 40 feet deep, with an avalanche of water dropping down. It was forced using rope ladders and at the bottom a small yet beautiful cavern found.
Down a passage the water rushed and disappeared into the darkness. The stream was followed for some distance, and it was found to tumble into a hole. The sides of this underground lake were examined, but no sign of any exit for the water could be seen. The party concluded they had reached a siphon, and also the lowest cavern.
The return proved a somewhat arduous undertaking.
Derbyshire Pennine Club 