Show on mapSkelton mine was located above what is now Waterfall Farm near Guisborough, a very busy area for mines being only a short distance from Skelton Park, Spa Wood, Tocketts, South Skelton and Aysdalegate.
The void where the fan stood is accessible through a very tight squeeze on the eastern wall, or by scaling the western wall.
The top of the filled shaft is visible as a ring of bricks just to the south of the fan house.
What’s guibal? I’m sure you’ve used this to refer to fan houses in the past.
i think Guibal is the name of the fella who invented the fan house. i could be wrong but im sure ive read it somewher
Spot on he was from Belgium i think.
Guibal fan, named after its Belgian inventor.
Good point, see the latest post.
http://chris.yellowgrey.com/2007/06/08/guibal-vs-scirocco/
Hello , have you visited the mine aprox 1/2 mile ne of here ( i would think so). Quite a few years ago before the house was converted into a residential property i got a good look around the buildings and shafts , there used to be a few bricks missing from the open shaft , probably an air shaft , looking into it was awesome and took some adjusting too.I will allways remember that first time i got my eyes adjusted to the light and you could just make out the bottom of the shaft some 300/400 feet down ,it is lined with tiles to aid circulation ? Also have a look at nz613 195 south of sandy lane new marske this was a drift mine entrance , i dont know what is left of the site, i think it may been filled in.Above this at nz619 197 on the sandy lane dridleway is a pill box or lookout post of some type. I think from you site which is very good and keep it up you are fairly local to this place and might find this interesting. I too find holes in the ground and military history very interesting. I have lately been studying rotor bunkers and lead mines , i have only had one brush with the MOD plods but am still here to tell the tale .My passion a few years ago was caving but that had to stop when it got a bit serious and wife was expecting.p.s if all this is known and i am preaching to the converted tell me to look harder for more inconspicuos sites/places or mind my own business. Tim.
I believe Tim is referring to Skelton Park ironstone mine, which is now used as a farmhouse, and on private land. Simon Chapman wrote a very good book on this topic, which includes photographs and present day remains.
Due to the low level of vegetation at present, the fanhouse can be seen from the top of the Guisborough Forest!
I believe that there was a row of miner’s cottages (Rawcliffe Cottages?) in the field at the end of the path that can be seen on the map. I have seen a picture of the row in the ‘Guisborough before 1900’ book but apparently they were completely dismantled (and the materials used elsewhere) when the mine eventually closed.
In correction to the above comment: there are some remains of what I believe to be Rawcliffe Cottages in the middle of the field at the end of the path. Heavy vegetation covers the site although some walls still stand and the basic layout of the houses can be determined.
In addition the railway linking the site to both the main line at Slapewath and Skelton Park pit is distinct and can still be followed.