Browns Folly Mine - Jan 2011

[nelly]

Now, a couple of years ago, if I had gone out for a mates Birthday then I probably would have ended up down the pub with a kebab to follow and a taxi home.

Then I discovered Urban Exploration and a whole new bunch of mates.

So it was off to Browns Folly for a weekend of fun for Obscurity's Birthday!!!

Those in attendance were..........

Me!!!, Skeleton Key, Wevsky, Space Invader, Obs, Mrs Obs, Maniac, Frosty, OliverGT,
Toad, VW DirtBoy, Elvis, Raptor Jesus, Trog, Mrs Trog, Tommo, Emerson & Northern Ninja



I was like a fish out of water underground and massive respect for my buddies for everything

As Del Boy would say "It's Terra Cotta for me from now on Rodney."

__________________________________________________ _

The History Bit

Browns Folly Mine is a Bath Stone quarry which was originally part of Monkton Farleigh Mine however when the War Department converted part of the quarry in to an ammunitions store they separated part of the quarry which is the area now known as Browns Folly.


This photograph shows the quarrymen and their tools. In the front are the sawyers with their Frig Bobs. In the backrow note: - In the middle, two of the men are holding lamps mounted on holders. These holders, like long handled bats could be put into a hole in a pillar or in the harness to give the horse some light. The man middle right is holding a holing iron, which is used to chisel out the hole for the Lewis, just below. The Gaffer or Ganger is wearing the bowler.

Closed in the 1930's, Browns Folly Mine is an SSSI (Special Site of Scientific Interest) because of its national importance for hibernating and roosting bats.



The main adit into the quarry was blasted by the military probably to prevent access to the Monkton Farleigh Ammunition Depot connected to Brown's Folly.


_____________________________________

Clapham Junction
















Quack!!!




The troughs, I believe that these were for the horses that would pull the carriages full of stone along the track

[Clough]

Crackers there boss, crackers as in nice pics and for going down there! Haven't done a mine yet but I imagine I will and I'm not looking forward to it!

[Krypton]

ace pictures mate for your first time underground they are pretty fine

[MJS]

Sweet stuff me ol' mucka

[KingElvis]

Nice mine.

[Nicola]

Nice write up and great images!

[simonix]

Fantastic, i like a good mine!

[coops]

cracking pics mate

[nelly]

Cheers guys

[Rustynail]

I've got to visit this place soon!