Adelaide (Arn Gill) Level

Adelaide or Arn Gill Low Level, is a mine that i have passed on foot many times. I have witnessed its restoration; but i have never explored it. Of course when the oppertunity arose one afternoon; i snapped it up!

The Adelaide level was essentially an unsuccesful failiure. After opening in 1866, the mine undercut the limestone bedrock in the shaley grit. The operator; Blakethwaite mining Co, closed the mine in 1870 to focus on their other more successful workings in Blakethwaite and Sun Hush.

In 1919, Pickup and Fawcett reopened the level, an drained old man's sump, where ore had reputedly been left behind, using a syphon. They also sank a new sump and drove north about 120 feet in the hope of finding a flot. this was unsuccessful, and so they drove the main level another 56 fathoms and then sunk the shaft again. This time the extracted 23 tons of ore before it was exhausted. The mine finally closed in 1921.

Over the last few years, the enterance has been restored to its origional condition, and is now quite popular with local UG photographers.