302 History of the 



3,000 tons. Capital invested, ;^65,ooo. The Horncliffe delphs, 

 though not within the boundary of Rossendale Forest, are yet in 

 such close proximity as to warrant their being embraced in any 

 estimate of the extent of the stone trade in the district. They are 

 accordingly included in the above statement. 



Coal abounds in Rossendale almost throughout its entire extent, 

 and has probably been got in quantities more or less for about 

 three hundred years. Old workings, regarding which no records 

 are known to exist, are often met with in the mines at present 

 being worked, (c) Some of these are of considerable extent. In 

 the mine of Messrs. Hargreaves and Co., at Stacksteads, one of 

 such workings was discovered some years ago ; and a poor fellow 

 who attempted to make an exploration, not having taken proper 

 precautions, lost his way and was unable to return. On search 

 being made a few days afterwards, he was found dead. Rude 

 implements of labour, chiefly wooden shovels, are occasionally met 

 with in these deserted excavations. The supply of coal for the 

 different manufactories in the district is chiefly obtained from local 

 mines, vfrhich are numerous, employing many hands and a large 

 capital. 



It is proper here to refer to the attempts that were made during 

 last century to establish another mining industry in the district. 



In the year 1754, an advertisement appeared on the walls in 

 Rossendale and the other districts comprised within the Honor 

 of Clitheroe, in the shape of a placard or handbill, giving notice 

 that the lessors of the lead mines, veins or beds of lead, copper, 

 iron or tin in the copyhold lands in the Honor of Clitheroe, 

 proposed to let any mears of ground therein with free liberty to 

 search for the minerals aforementioned to any person or persons 

 for a term to be agreed upon. In response to this announcement 

 a number of gentlemen came forward, formed themselves into a 

 Company, and took the property for a term of twenty-one years. 



(f) Many traces of old coal-pit workings may also be seen on the Todmorden 

 valley side of Flour Scar. 



