Beans and Bacon mine facts for kids

The Beans and Bacon mine is an old lead mine located on Bonsall Moor, close to the village of Bonsall, Derbyshire, in the United Kingdom. The nearest big town is Matlock. This mine was actively digging for lead between 1920 and 1925. However, people were mining in this area much earlier, possibly as far back as 1740, and some parts might even be from the Middle Ages! This makes the mine very important for studying history and archaeology. Nobody knows exactly why it's called "Beans and Bacon," but there are other mines nearby with funny names like Mule Spinner and Frogs Hole, so it's not the only one with a unique name.

What is the Beans and Bacon Mine?

The Beans and Bacon mine is a place where people used to dig for lead, a type of metal. It's located in a beautiful area called Bonsall Moor. Even though it only operated for a few years in the 1920s, the history of mining in this exact spot goes back hundreds of years. This long history makes it a special place for archaeologists, who study human history through digging up old things.

Why is the Mine Important?

This mine is considered a very important historical site for the whole country. It's officially protected under a law called the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. This means it's a "scheduled ancient monument," which helps keep it safe for future generations to learn from.

The mine site has five small stone buildings called coes. These were likely used by the miners for shelter or to store tools. One of these coes covers the main entrance to the mine, known as the founder shaft. The tunnels and shafts of the mine go down more than 55 metres (about 180 feet) into the ground!

Mining Techniques Used at Beans and Bacon

What makes the Beans and Bacon mine extra special is that it shows many different ways miners broke apart rock, all in one small area. These methods include:

• Plug and feather: This was a way to split rock using metal wedges (feathers) and a plug driven into a drilled hole.
• Gad and wedge: Similar to plug and feather, but often using a larger metal bar (gad) and wedges to pry rock apart.
• Gunpowder blasting: This was a more modern method where gunpowder was used to create explosions that broke up large amounts of rock quickly.

Seeing all these different techniques in one place helps historians understand how mining changed over time.

A Cow's Adventure at the Mine

In September 2014, something unusual happened at the Beans and Bacon mine! A cow accidentally fell about four metres (13 feet) down one of the mine shafts. Luckily, rescuers were able to help. They carefully made another entrance to the mine bigger and then gently encouraged the cow to walk out to safety.

See also

In Spanish: Mina Frijoles y tocino para niños