Show on mapAlthough there ironstone workings in the immediate area and this looks like a drift I dont think it is.
I think this is more likely the location where the culvert from the Boulby Alum Works passed underneath the road on its way to the Alum House for processing.
The house is probably not original, although a wall in the garden at the edge of the cliff looks much older. The vertical shaft from the Boulby Alum Tunnel on the shore would emerge in the garden of this house were it still open.
I have often passed this remnant by whilst walking in the area and have been at a loss to explain what it is. Bearing in mind the closeness to the alum house and works and the age and condition of the stonework indicates that it is alum and not ironstone industry related.
That wall is awfully close to the cliff edge…..
Following on from my last post, does anyone know anything about the Boulby ironstone mine remnants? I have seen some of the concrete bases for the old tin houses but do not know if anything else exists. There is rumoured to be the site of the main drift somewhere in the area but it may be within the potash mine complex, and thus inaccessable.
There a book by Simon Chapman on the subject.
http://www.cihmag.com/BL.pdf
But pretty much everything was lost under the Potash Mine development.
I believe some remains can still be seen jutting out of the cliff face.
In answer to my last post (and having read Simon’s excellent book on the subject): the old green building visible from the main road is the last remaining building from the Boulby ironstone mine. Apparently it was the pay office and is similar in constructional style to the old ‘tin city’ houses, namely a concrete base, some sort of frame and corrugated iron walls.
There are also signs of some significant subsidence in a field at the top of Boulby bank, which could be ironstone mining related or have been caused by coastal (cliff) erosion. Some large cracks have appeared, which appear to be quite wide and deep. I don’t know how deep the workings were in this area – any idea anyone?
Very shallow, I believe there was a drift entrance behind the green hut/time shed previously mentioned.