Axbridge Caving Group                    Journal  - April 2005

Cover Editorial/Index Carcass Cave Conversion of a Cap Lamp Rules of Caving
Caving with Spirit Hunters ACG AGM 2005 Templeton 2005 Mining On Shute Shelve Hill ACG 55th Celebration Dinner
The Lost Cave of Axbridge  
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Vic Channon was sent to the Persian Gulf 1935/36.

58 Interview with Arthur Chard – July 1979

Mr Myatt employed six men. He died 1922. Then Mr Amfield manager, Shute Shelf West of England Oxide and Ochre Co. Rosewood site 8 to 10 buckets and a cable.

67b Interview with Charles King – June 1979

Charles King worked with Vic and Percy Channon and William Channon, also Fred Curtis. But William was not employed mining, only at the ochre mill.

Mr Myatt was private enterprise and did not use the ochre mill (died 1925)

Working with ochre Charles was coated from head to foot, (Reddle Man) the oxide being almost impossible to remove. He left the ochre mill when it closed down and gradually rid himself of the stain.

Summary :

Area Around Shute Shelve Cavern (Rose Wood Site)

  • A hand operated overhead cable was installed and was used to carry the ochre down the hillside in 8 to 10 buckets.
  • A beehive shaped dry stone walled hut with an elliptical entrance was built which was used as a tool store.
  • This site was mined at the same time as Axbridge Ochre Cavern.
  • Was known as Myatt’s Quarry.
  • Could have been the last site mined on the hill; ending in the early 1920’s.

Rift and Quarry

  • Iron was found at these sites
  • There was a cable from the Rift (Natural) or Quarry that was used to transport the ochre or iron down the hillside.
  • Both these sites were worked for ochre.

Rift

  • Open cast mining that used tip up drams and rails.

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