Horse gin mining

Coal mining on Sponds Moor has a long history back into the eighteenth century. In the second half of the nineteenth century a series of shafts was developed by the lessee James Jackson, each of which was wound with a horse gin. This particular shaft towards the top of the moor is shown as working on the 1873 OS map, but was abandoned by 1897. In 1982 when I took this photograph the bearing stone for the gin was visible in the side of the collapsed shaft. The metal piece was for the pintle of the vertical post to pivot in. On a recent visit the stone was no longer visible and may have sliped further into the shaft.