Magpie Mine

Magpie Mine is an abandoned lead mine in the Peak District with limestone buildings, a Cornish steam engine house, and multiple shafts still visible on the surface. The remains show the infrastructure miners used for extracting ore and managing water from below ground.

Mining began here in 1682 when the Shuttlebark vein was discovered and continued for nearly 300 years with periods of closure and reopening. The final cessation of work came in 1958, marking the end of lead extraction in this location.

The site reveals how 19th-century miners worked and lived through its standing buildings and equipment layout. You can observe the practical arrangement of structures that shows the daily reality of mining operations.

You can reach the site through footpaths from nearby Sheldon village, with multiple entry points from surrounding lanes around the ruins. Wear sturdy shoes as the ground is uneven and becomes slippery when wet.

An underground drainage system still pumps millions of gallons of water daily from deep below into the nearby River Wye, even though mining stopped over 60 years ago. This network demonstrates the scale of water management that miners had to tackle during operations.

Location: Ashford in the Water

GPS coordinates: 53.20980,-1.74302

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:48