278 



PRINCIPAL MINING GROUND OF SHELVE, ETC. 



necessary consequence of this configuration is, that the surface is wet, and the soil 

 cold and sterile ; for the waters descending from the surrounding ridges, lodge in this 

 upland cavity, forming pools and morasses. The drainage of the district is effected 

 by two small rivulets, which flow through the longitudinal furrows before mentioned. 

 One, the chief source of the Onny, rising at Shelve and in the Hyssington marsh, runs 

 to the south, and escapes by a narrow defile and fissure through the ridge of the Stiper 

 Stones near Linley. (See vignette, head of chapter.) The other, rising near the Gravel 

 mines, descends to the north-east by the gorge of Hope Mill, and falls near Minsterly 

 into the Rea, a tributary of the Severn. 



From the eastern foot of Stapeley and Corndon Hills, the ground rises towards Shelve in low 

 undulations of sandstone and shale, which are traversed by several metalliferous veins wrought at 

 the " Grit " and " Gravel mines." In the " White grit mines" are three veins which run diagonally 

 across the strata somewhat in the form of the letter N. Of these, the central vein, called the Rider, 

 strikes from west by south, to east by north; the flanking veins, called the "Squilfa" and the 

 tf Engine veins," range from south-east to north-west, and by their direction are supposed to unite 

 with the Rider l . The u Rider" and the " Squilfa" are the most productive, and are now worked. 

 The course of the " Rider" is marked on the surface by the protrusion of a mineral mass of highly 

 inclined, quartzy hornstone, three or four feet thick. These veins traverse the sandstone and shale, 

 the beds of which strike from N.N.E. to S.S.W. and dip 25° to the W.N.W. on one side of the 

 hill, and to the east on the opposite side. The engine shaft is forty fathoms deep, other shafts are 

 seventeen fathoms, but formerly the Squilfa vein was worked at seventy and eighty fathoms. The 

 veins are very irregular in width, varying from six inches to six feet, and hade at a high angle to 

 the S.S.W. There are two varieties of galena, the common and the steel grained ; also carbonate of 

 lead both crystallized and stalactitic. The other simple minerals are sulphate of barytes, crystal- 

 lized quartz, and chalcedony, with a little lime and blende, the former sometimes coating crystals 

 of quartz. The most beautiful mineral of these mines is the white stalactitic carbonate of lead 2 . 

 The ore in the grit mine is also frequently associated with a decomposed, black, sooty substance, 

 probably earthy oxide of manganese mixed with other materials, which sticks like paste to the ore 

 and cannot be separated from it without much washing. A fourth and much smaller vein, called 

 the "New Britain," runs nearly parallel to the strike of the strata, and is remarkable only in having 

 afforded white carbonate of lead very near the surface. In all these veins many separate strings 

 diverge from the chief body of u stuff," the best and richest ore being usually found in the bunches 

 or points of intersection. The ordinary ores afford six to seven ounces of silver per ton. These 

 mines, the property of Mr. More of Linley, are rapidly increasing in value, and when the contiguous 

 marsh of Hyssington and Corndon shall have been drained (see note, p. 281.), it is probable that 



1 The Engine vein is not now in work, and the actual junction of the Squilfa with the Rider has not yet 

 been proved, though the works at the present engine are very near that point where, if not suddenly terminated, 

 they must from their direction unite. Captain Clements, the manager of these works, is of opinion that they 

 do unite, particularly as the Squilfa vein is beginning to twist round suddenly towards the Rider. 



2 Dr. Du Gard informs me that some beautiful specimens of this stalactitic carbonate of lead, which I saw 

 in his museum, occurred in cavities of the mining ground, which upon being penetrated by the pick-axe were 

 found filled with water. 



